Four Teen Burglary Suspects Apprehended After Overnight Crime Spree in Crockett
In the early hours of January 31, 2024, Crockett Police Department officers responded to reports of suspicious activity at Houston County Pawn, located at 1960 SE Loop 304. The store owner alerted law enforcement after spotting a male individual peering through the front door on surveillance cameras.
Providing authorities with a photo of the suspect, along with details of the vehicle and its license plate, officers arrived promptly, only to find the suspect and the vehicle had vanished. However, the vehicle’s registration led officers to an address in Lufkin.
While on site at Houston County Pawn, officers received notice of a burglary alarm at Brookshire Brothers, 401 N 4th St. The security company monitoring the store’s cameras reported that several individuals had broken the front door, entered the building, and swiftly exited before the officers’ arrival.
Assisted by a Brookshire Brothers employee, officers reviewed the store’s surveillance footage, confirming that one of the suspects matched the description of the individual from the pawn shop incident.
Law enforcement in Angelina County was promptly alerted to be on the lookout for the suspect vehicle. At approximately 3:40 a.m., deputies from the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office located and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. The four occupants were detained until Crockett Police Department officers could arrive.
Upon confirmation, the occupants were identified as the suspects involved in the Brookshire Brothers burglary. Each individual was placed under arrest and transported to the Houston County Jail. The suspects face charges of Burglary of a Building (State Jail Felony) and Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity (3rd Degree Felony).
The arrested individuals are:
- Martin Montalvo (18 years old, from Lufkin)
- Chey Venegas (18 years old, from Lufkin)
- Lewis Torres (17 years old, from Harlingen)
- Kaleb Pantoja (19 years old, from Diboll)