Police Searching For Burglary Suspect Who Tried To Turn Himself In

WOODLAND (CBS13) — More than 150 homes and cars burglarized in Woodland, and police think they know who did it, but they can't find him after he tried to turn himself in last week.

Investigators are calling Mario Lopez a career criminal. He's frustrated police for months, as he and several others are responsible for a lot of home and car burglaries.

Several people have been arrested so far, but Lopez was not one of them.

He's still roaming the streets, and officers thought they had him cornered in a neighborhood on Tuesday. If he was there, he slipped through their net.

Surveillance video shows Lopez trying to turn himself into the Yolo County Jail last week, but after 14 minutes of waiting, he was tired of waiting and left.

Joey Luna isn't just a burglary victim—he knows Lopez personally. He says the suspect's thieving ways are to help feed a methamphetamine habit.

Some are just learning about the Woodland crime spree, but feel relatively safe.

"It's not something I worry about, but it is concerning though," said Kathy Simione.

Cops say he may not be working alone and that if someone sees him, they should call police right away.

"Every time we've contacted him, he's had a firearm," Woodland Police Sgt. Brett Hancock. "We're warning the public he's armed and dangerous."