FARGO - Citizen tips led to the arrest of two people suspected of car prowling Sunday night, including a case in which a suspect who was stopped by police offered officers an ID from a stolen wallet, police Lt. Joel Vettel said.
The case began when a witness called police about 3:15 a.m. Monday to report he saw someone prowling in a neighbor's garage in the 1500 block of Third Street North.
The witness followed the suspect for a short time and provided police with a description. About 30 minutes later, officers found a man matching the description and asked him for identification.
The man produced an ID from a wallet linked to a theft and officers arrested him, Vettel said.
The suspect was identified as Tyler A. Zimmerman, 18, of Fargo.
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Vettel said Zimmerman faces charges of theft from a motor vehicle, unlawful entry, possession of stolen property and possession of drugs.
Vettel said police suspect Zimmerman of being linked to a number of thefts.
In another case, a woman called police about 4:41 a.m. after seeing a man exit her car parked outside of her residence in the 1400 block of 12th St. N.
Officers in the area spotted a man running and stopped him.
Vettel said the suspect, Andrew J. Garza, 18, Fargo, faces charges that include possessing stolen property, unlawful entry and resisting police officers.
Vettel said police suspect Garza of involvement in at least two and possibly more theft cases.
He stressed nearly all thefts from cars and garages in Fargo involve cases where doors were left unlocked.
