Two men burglarize AutoZone stores in Atascadero and Morro Bay

July 17, 2018

A pair of thieves from Fresno allegedly burglarized the AutoZone stores in both Atascadero and Morro Bay early Tuesday morning and got caught after the second break-in. [Cal Coast Times]

First, the two suspects broke into the Atascadero AutoZone in the 8100 block of El Camino Real at about 1 a.m., according to the Atascadero Police Department. Officers arrived and found a broken front window and noticed that vehicle batteries had been stolen.

About one hour later, an alarm went off at the Morro Bay AutoZone in the 400 block of Quintana Road. Morro Bay police arrived at the store and found the thieves had stolen similar items as in the Atascadero burglary.

An alert about the suspects’ vehicle went out following the burglary of the Morro Bay store. Sheriff’s deputies then stopped the suspects who had returned to Atascadero.

Deputies and Atascadero police officers confronted the suspects in their vehicle on Highway 41 near Atascadero Avenue. Officers removed the suspects from the vehicle at gunpoint.

Investigators found items in the car that had been stolen from AutoZone.

Police identified the suspects as Mario Aquino, 28, and Chris Casas, 20. Officers booked both suspects into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, possession of stolen property and having misdemeanor warrants.

Both Aquino and Casas remain in custody with their bail set at $20,000.