SEGUIN, Texas – Police in Seguin reported an unusual arrest this past weekend at the city’s events complex center rodeo arena.
Witnesses saw a man breaking to a car and called 911, Carlos Contreras said.
Contreras, public information officer for the Seguin Police Department, said it wasn't so much the type of charge that was unusual but how the suspect was arrested.
"We (Seguin police) noticed and witnessed the suspect being circled by the cowboys on horseback. The suspect had nowhere to go," Contreras said.
Contreras identified the suspect as Alejandro Ayala, 35. However, Ayala’s arrest almost alluded police when he was able to get away from the area where witnesses first saw him.
"The subject then reappeared with beer that we believe was bought with loot he had stole from inside of the vehicle," said Contreras.
Listen below to the 911 calls that were made regarding the incident. Courtesy: Seguin PD
"We got all the cowboys chasin him. So, I don't know how this ...***SPD lasso a burglary suspect with the help of cowboys on horseback*** *Audio recording is provided. You may have to turn your volume up on some portions of the video. While the style of burglary was not out of the ordinary, the method of capturing the suspect was definitely unusual. Recently, officers were dispatched to the Seguin Events Complex/Rodeo Arena after receiving a report of a vehicle burglary. While officers were heading to the scene, witnesses gave a description of a Hispanic male suspect who had stolen a purse out of a parked car. As he fled the area, he was then spotted near the City of Seguin rodeo show barn, attempting to hide from officers. Moments later, a witness saw him again; this time with beer and other items. It is believed that he had just purchased the beer with the “loot” from the stolen purse. When officers arrived, one officer surprisingly reported: "I observed several cowboys on horses circling the suspect," then added, "the male suspect has nowhere to go.” The suspect was apprehended “old school” with the assistance of the unofficial cowboy posse on horseback. The old west style of arrest seemed fitting as the City of Seguin is named in honor of Juan Seguin, a man of great law and order who served under Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston. The suspect was identified as Alejandro Ayala (DOB 04/19/81). Witnesses and rodeo cowboys positively identified Ayala as entering the vehicle and taking the victim's purse. Alejandro was transported to the Guadalupe County Jail and booked on Burglary of Motor Vehicle (Class A Misdemeanor). Do not break the law in our city, we WILL make you famous. -Officer C. Contreras
Posted by Seguin Police Department on Thursday, July 21, 2016
Event organizer Rick Niavez told KSAT News that the victim approached his announcer's booth at his “Texas Revolution Team Roping” event and explained to him that her car had been broken into.
"We stopped the entire event temporarily and a team of cowboys on horseback went out to search," Niavez said.
Niavez said the group of cowboys had, at first, intended on using their lassos to wrangle the burglary suspect.
"But he ran into a building," Niavez said.
The cowboys cornered Ayala until police arrived and arrested him. He was taken to Guadalupe County Jail and charged with burglary of a motor vehicle.