The Greenwood Homes in the Tustin Legacy development have been experiencing a spike in theft related property crimes since the beginning of the year. In addition to regular Neighborhood Watch meetings, several of the residents have installed video security surveillance systems.
On May 23rd a homeowner had a package stolen from the front porch and the surveillance video captured the suspect fleeing in a black Mercedes. On May 25th the same vehicle was involved in a package theft in a nearby Irvine neighborhood. On May 26th the suspect struck again at a different residence and he was once again captured on video surveillance fleeing in a black Mercedes. The license plate on the vehicle was stolen from a similar looking Mercedes in the City of Orange weeks earlier.
Today at approximately 1100 hours alert Tustin Police patrol officer Matt Howard spotted the vehicle parked curbside in the old town area of Tustin. Undercover officers set up surveillance and after a short time the suspect returned to the car and began unloading property from the vehicle.
The suspect, MAURICE PAMATMAT, age 31, a transient known to frequent the cities of Orange, Tustin and Irvine was taken into custody without incident. Pamatmat is the same suspect seen in the videos removing packages from the homes in the Greenwood Homes.
Pamatmat was determined to have several warrants for his arrest related to narcotics and firearms violations. Officers located some suspected stolen property inside of the vehicle along with methamphetamine packaged for sales.
In addition to the warrants, Pamatmat was booked into the Orange County Jail on charges of vehicle theft, theft of a license plate, package thefts, and possession of narcotics for sales.
