Carson City man arrested on over 20 felonies in regards to string of vehicle burglaries

A 25-year-old Carson City man was arrested on 20 felony charges including burglary, possession of stolen property, burglary with a firearm, possession of instrument with burglarious intent, and removing a firearm’s serial number.

Marco Antonio Covarrubias was arrested in the 1100 block of Ridgefield Drive early Thursday morning after deputies were responding to the area of Pinion Pine Drive on report of a burglary, and the area had recently reported several other burglaries during the past week with similar circumstances.

Deputies noted a vehicle traveling away from the scene, and as the vehicle passed deputies, the deputies noted the driver appeared to be the suspect that had appeared on surveillance footage taken from a previous crime scene.

Deputies followed the vehicle through the neighborhoods of Windridge Drive and Table Rock Drive. The driver appeared not to be familiar with the area, and deputies initiated a traffic stop for the vehicle based on the fact that the license plate light was out.

Deputies made contact with the driver who was identified as Covarrubias. Deputies informed Covarrubias of the reason for the stop and asked for his license, registration and insurance. Deputies noted he appeared nervous, and he had a “face shield” tied around his neck and gloves on the front passenger seat, both of which were worn by the suspect in previous burglaries.

Covarrubias told deputies he was driving home from a friend’s house on Airport Road. Deputies told him to remove the keys from the vehicle and place them on the roof. Deputies asked him to step out of the vehicle to speak with them.

He stepped out of the vehicle and told deputies he had two firearms on him and he was burglarizing vehicles, according to the report.

Deputies took two pistols from his person and placed him in handcuffs. The firearms were a black Smith and Wesson 9mm and a silver Colt mustang 2 380 auto, which had the serial number filed off. Covarrubias told deputies he had filed it off. The first firearm was registered as stolen from a previous case, and the colt was stolen from a separate case.

He told deputies he was in a “tough spot” and needed money for a car payment that was due the next day, which is what led him to commit all of the burglaries.

During a search of his vehicle, Covarrubias admitted the following items were stolen:

• $31 cash
• Two packs of Marlboro cigarettes
• Bag of miscellaneous change
• A box of 9mm ammo
• Four knives
• Green turtle coin purse with miscellaneous change
• Tactical flashlight
• Wrist watch

He was booked without incident.

During an interview with another deputy, Covarrubias admitted that he was involved in several vehicle burglaries for the last several prior nights. Deputies received a search warrant for his residence.

Inside the residence deputies found several items that had been reported from vehicle burglaries:

• A black leather duty belt
• A wallet with ID belonging to a victim
• A prescription bottle for a second victim
• Two Ruger pistol magazines with tan leather holder
• A box of Extreme 9mm ammo

Deputies located several other items, including knives, that Covarrubias stated were stolen but deputies were unable to verify where they were stolen from. Identification cards for two other victims were located but no cases were reported listing them as victims.

Bail: $40,000

While in custody, he was booked on an additional two burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon (gun) after a woman went out to her vehicle in the morning and found it had been burglarized.

Additional bail: $80,000

— A 47-year-old transient man was arrested in the 1200 block of N. Roop Street for unlawful occupancy and “housebreaking,” both gross misdemeanors.

Deputies responded to the area after the owner of a property called to report there were several transient individuals living inside the home, which was supposed to be vacant.

Deputies arrived on scene and found a man in a sleeping bag inside a detached garage. There appeared t be damage to the door frame for the main door entering the garage, according to the report, and human feces were observed on the floor and sidewalks.

The man advised he had been living in the garage for a week because he is homeless. There were several beer cans and trash scattered throughout the garage.

The man was taken into custody.

Bail: $2,274

— A 58-year-old Carson City woman was arrested in the 3000 block of Airport Road for DUI 1st early Friday morning.

Deputies responded to the area in reference to a non-injury accident because a vehicle had crashed into a ditch. When deputies arrived they made contact with the woman who was slumped over and talking on her cell phone.

The woman said she didn’t need medical attention, and that she had consumed two drinks at the bar directly across the street from the ditch.

The woman showed multiple signs of impairment during her field sobriety tests, and she was taken into custody.

Bail: $1,137

All information for the crime log (unless otherwise noted) comes from the arrest reports supplied by the Carson City Sheriff's Office, and is considered by law to be public information. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The policy of Carson Now is to name anyone who is arrested for a felony offense.