Gabrielle Arsiaga/News-Sun
A Hobbs man threw a rock through a window at a convenience store and told officers “it was nothing personal, (I) just needed a big enough crime to go to jail and be taken out of Hobbs.”
Roberto Rivera, 33, of Hobbs, was arrested on Sept. 4 and charged with criminal damage to property, a fourth-degree felony.
On Sept. 4, HPD officers responded to the 3300 block of West Marland Boulevard in reference to a criminal damage to property. The reporting party, an employee of the store, told officers she was inside of the convenience store working when she heard a loud bang and saw the window explode.
The employee told officers she was looking out of the window when she saw a Hispanic male standing outside of the store. She saw the male point at her while holding something in his hand, and then heard a motorcycle leave.
The employee said she thought the male was holding a gun and believed he shot through the window.
She said she ran towards the back of the store and told other employees to run and hide.
When officers searched the store they found a rock by the cooler area.
Another employee told officers he was standing in the front of the store when heard a loud bang and his manager told him to run and hide. The male employee said he looked towards the outside of the store and saw a yellow motorcycle leaving the store.
When officers reviewed the video surveillance footage from the store, they weren’t able to see the individual throwing the rock but did see a Hispanic male driving away from the scene on a yellow moped.
A short time later dispatch notified officers there was a male at HPD claiming he was the one who had thrown the rock through the window and was wanting turn himself in.
Rivera told officers he threw the rock through the window because “he needed to commit a big enough crime to get arrested.”
“Roberto advised it was nothing personal,” the criminal complaint states. “(Officers) asked Roberto why he threw the rock through the window. Roberto stated he had been going through a rough time and had lost his job. Roberto stated he had gathered up the money he could and was trying to leave Hobbs.
“Roberto stated he only made it half way to Lovington before his vehicle died. Roberto then again stated he just needed a big enough crime to go to jail and be taken out of Hobbs.”
