Tempe police urge caution after man steals unlocked, running SUV from transit center

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Tempe Police Department is urging residents to lock and turn off their vehicles after a newly released video shows a man stealing an SUV from the Tempe Transit Center.

The theft occurred Jan. 26, police said. Investigators said Paulino Romero entered an unlocked, running van operated by Valley Metro and drove away.

Dash camera video from inside the vehicle shows the suspect getting into the driver’s seat and leaving the transit center. A short time later, officers received calls about an abandoned SUV at a nearby apartment complex.

“People called that this car was just sitting there,” Tempe PIO Officer Jessica Ells said. 

Officers conducted an area check to determine who was involved and why the vehicle had been left there, Ells said.

Police said the driver later reported the vehicle missing, allowing officers to connect the abandoned SUV to the theft.

Investigators identified Romero with the help of surveillance footage from a nearby business, Fifth Street Market, police said. The video showed the suspect carrying a bag while inside the store earlier, providing clearer images of his face and build, authorities said.

Romero was arrested several days later on one count of unlawful use of means of transportation, according to police.

Authorities said the case highlights how quickly crimes of opportunity can occur when vehicles are left unlocked and running.

Police said similar incidents happen more often than many people expect, including while drivers are pumping gas or briefly running into a store. Officers urged residents to lock their vehicles and avoid leaving them unattended while running.

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