SANTA CRUZ

Police arrest burglary suspect

Santa Cruz police have arrested a man suspected in a series of burglaries in the Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay areas, Deputy Chief Steve Clark said.

Scott Dean Russo, 39, was arrested Monday at a motel on Riverside Avenue, police said.

In January, Russo was shown in surveillance photos after burglarizing a business on the 300 block of Soquel Avenue, police said.

Tips from informants led Santa Cruz police detectives to Russo, Clark said. Police contacted Russo on Monday at his motel room, where they conducted a probation search.

Russo was found in possession of hundreds of stolen items suspected of being taken in several burglaries through the city of Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay area, police said. He admitted taking the items and selling stolen items at the flea market, police said.

Russo was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on suspicion of burglary, possession of stolen property and narcotics violations.