Indiantown - Tuesday May 14, 2024: The Martin County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) put its Air 1 helicopter up, and added an extra patrol in the Booker Park neighborhood of Indiantown last Friday night.
There had been a rash of auto burglaries in that community and the Sheriff increased patrols in hopes of catching a suspect, and they did.
Patrolling from above, MCSO Air 1 observed a man checking out a number of cars in driveways along SW Magnolia Street. The pilot was able to direct the foot patrol to the suspect's location. As they approached, the suspect took off, but the two MCSO Deputies, along with K-9 Cane, quickly caught-up and took the suspect into custody.
He has been identified as 27-year-old Mateo Maldonado and booked into the Martin County Jail.
MCSO Detectives believe that Maldonado is responsible for multiple auto burglaries in the Booker Park neighborhood.