ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- An Odessa man was arrested last weekend after investigators said he was linked to numerous thefts since June. John Cris Montez, 45, has been charged with four counts of Theft of Property with Two or More Previous Convictions. 

Investigators said they linked Montez to several thefts using security cameras that showed an unknown man leaving each scene in a red Chevrolet Avalanche. On June 21, Montez was allegedly caught on camera stealing more than $1,800 worth of tools and a generator from Lowes Home Improvement Store. Then, on July 15, the same suspect was caught on camera stealing more than $300 worth of groceries from HEB. Investigators said Montez also stole $121 worth of groceries from the same store in early June. 

On September 10, Montez was again caught trying to steal from an HEB store when investigators said he entered the store and placed more than $500 worth of meat into a reusable grocery bag and tried to leave the store without paying. In that instance, OPD said an asset protection employee confronted Montez as he left the store and recovered all the stolen goods. 

Once Montez was identified, investigators learned he’d been convicted of theft before, once in Ector County in 2003, and once in El Paso County in 2009.

On November 17, armed with an arrest warrant, Montez was taken into custody by the Ector County Sheriff’s Office. He remained in the Ector County Law Enforcement Center as of Monday afternoon on a combined $14,000 bond.