The search for a burglary suspect saw a resolution as Gwinnett County Police apprehended 23-year-old Juan Carlos Villegas Avalos, a Lilburn resident, on charges related to auto break-ins and a second-degree burglary. According to the Gwinnett County news release, Villegas was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Gwinnett County Jail.
Villegas faces three felony counts of Entering an Auto, with Intent to Commit Theft, and one felony count of Burglary in the Second Degree. The crimes he's connected to occurred on May 29 at the Darnell Apartments in unincorporated Norcross. There, the suspect allegedly infiltrated the mailroom and stole various packages belonging to the residents, and attempted to take a television from the fitness center. Villegas, described as a Hispanic male, was last seen in a blue tracksuit with red stripes and is recognizable by the multiple tattoos on his body.
Prior to the arrest, the Gwinnett County Police sought help from the public to identify the suspect through a request issued in early June. The individual at that time was captured by surveillance footage during the act of theft within the Darnell Apartments' property. The suspect's image, released to the public, showed him with short black hair, a medium build, and notably, his tattoos.
Police encouraged anyone with information related to the case to reach out, underscoring the potential for a cash reward from Crime Stoppers for tips leading to an arrest and indictment. "If anyone has any information to share in this case, please contact GCPD detectives at 770.513.5300," the county's official release detailed, while hinting at anonymity for those who wished to remain unnamed, tipsters were directed to contact Crime Stoppers at 404.577.TIPS (8477) or visit their website.
