Suspects in ‘traveling burglary crew’ arrested

Four Bay Area residents described as members of a “traveling burglary crew” were arrested by Hollister police in San Benito County earlier this week after a car chase, police said.

At about 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, two officers from the Hollister Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle on San Felipe Road but the driver led them on a chase to other areas of the county, Officer Bo Leland said.

As the officers pursued the vehicle, they observed people inside throwing various items from it, according to Leland.

The driver finally stopped in the 800 block of Bonnie View Road in Hollister, where police arrested Christopher Montoya, 28, of Gilroy; Andrea Quintero, 39, of Santa Clara; Stephen Lee, 25, of Salinas; and Miguel Aguayo-Cesena, 26, of Gilroy.

All four were booked into San Benito County Jail on suspicion of evading a police officer with willful disregard, conspiracy to commit a crime, destruction of evidence and possession of burglary tools.

Lee was also arrested on a warrant for an alleged parole violation.

Hollister police Chief David Westrick said in a statement that since the suspects were from different cities outside the county, the department is “considering the prospect that this was a traveling burglary crew.”

Police are working with other law enforcement agencies in the region to tie the four suspects to burglaries and stolen car reports currently under investigation, Westrick said.