Police still searching for car thief
Albuquerque and Rio Rancho police continue to search for a man who stole an undercover police officer’s car and made off with his assault rifle Monday afternoon.
Officials say police were serving a warrant for a probation violation on Samuel Montoya at his home near Highway 528 and Ellison in Rio Rancho when Montoya fled – in a cop’s car.
“The individual jumped into one of our vehicles and attempted to flee the area,” said Rio Rancho Police Department spokesman John Francis. “As he was fleeing the area, he struck one of the officers with the vehicle.”
Francis says the officer was taken to a hospital to be checked out..
About 15 minutes after Montoya fled in the cop car, surveillance video shows he parked it at the parking lot beside the Burlington Coat Factory on Highway 528.
An hour later, police found the car – but discovered that an assault rifle that was in the car was missing. Thirty minutes later, officers found the rifle near the home where they had originally attempted to serve a search warrant.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Montoya is encouraged to call their local authorities