Deming, New Mexico – From Wednesday, June 25 through Thursday, June 26, 2025, Deming Police made one arrest in connection with a stolen vehicle incident.
John Hernandez, age 48 of Deming, was taken into custody on June 25, 2025. He faces one count of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle (1st offense), a 4th degree felony, after allegedly stealing a vehicle from a local auto dealership.
According to police, a dealership employee reported that a male suspect initially visited the lot and inquired about several vehicles. He presented a driver’s license that appeared to be expired, left the premises, and later returned with a different license. The employee, unaware of the license status, handed over the keys to a white Volkswagen Jetta to allow the suspect to start the vehicle. The suspect then drove off without returning.
Later that evening, the vehicle was located during a traffic stop. Hernandez was found inside the Jetta and arrested without further incident. A BOLO (Be-On-The-Lookout) alert had been issued, and the vehicle had been entered into the NCIC (National Crime Information Center) database. Following the recovery, the entry was removed and the vehicle was returned to its rightful owner.
Court proceedings are pending.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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