Bronxville Police Chief Spots Criminal On Way To Dinner With Family

BRONXVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A police chief from Westchester County nabbed a criminal who was on the run for more than a month while heading out to dinner.

CBS2's Alice Gainer reported Bronxville Police Chief Christopher Satriale recognized burglary suspect Raymond Velez, 41, while going to dinner with his family last Friday.

Velez is accused of stealing two laptops, an iPad, a purse and jewelry from a home on March 30. A 16-year-old coming home from school saw a man running out his front door with a bag of stolen items and called 911.

"Stating that her son returned home from school and was confronted at the front door of the home by an individual who fled the home carrying a black bag containing unknown items," Satriale said.

The teen gave police a very specific description of the suspect's tan four-door sedan, namely pointing out that the hubcaps were missing.

"He was specific about the tail lights traveling over the license plate and connecting in the middle," Satriale said. "Detectives and officers canvassed the area and found a surveillance camera that captured the vehicle fleeing the burglary scene."

After weeks of searching, Satriale spotted the suspect's car while off-duty last Friday night on his way to dinner with his family.

"I was entering the Saw Mill River Parkway northbound on Marble Avenue and coming off the parkway was a gold Buick. Saw the passenger side was missing a hubcap," Satriale said. "When he made the turn onto Marble Avenue I saw the front driver side hubcap missing. I had already committed to the parkway, could not turn around, but I was able to turn and yell the license plate out to my family. They recorded it, I called my desk, and found the plate in Mount Kisco."

Velez was arrested and he has been charged with burglary.

Velez has a long wrap sheet, getting arrested 18 previous times.

The family was able to recover one of the stolen laptops.

Velez's girlfriend is cooperating with police. They said she was driving the car that day. She has not been arrested, but they say that may change.