ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Police say over a period from mid-May to mid-July, Cody Montoya broke into several Albuquerque businesses.

According to court documents, Montoya had two accomplices, another man and a woman. They wore masks, and were unrecognizable on surveillance footage. 

Police say it was a certain car that gave them away. A black VW Jetta was seen on surveillance video captured at the targeted businesses. 

Officers were able to track the car to Montoya’s northeast Albuquerque home. Then, they put a tracking device on it. Using that device, they were able to link Montoya to two burglaries. 

One of those burglaries was at Lucid Smoke Shop on San Mateo. Police say Montoya and his accomplices loaded more than $20,000 worth of stuff into totes and took off.

Montoya is also accused of hitting three separate metro area Target stores. He reportedly stole more than $2,500 worth of vacuums, TVs, and steam cleaners from the location at Montgomery and Wyoming. 

He also allegedly took more than $3,000 worth of stuff from the Boot Barn at Coronado Center. 

According to a criminal complaint, Montoya and his buddies liked to use crowbars to pry their way into businesses through the security door.

But police say Montoya also used his black Jetta to pull a security gate off of Work Wear safety shoes on Menaul. But he wasn’t able to get into the store that night. 

Montoya is now in the Bernalillo County jail. He faces 34 charges related to the burglaries, including:

• 10 counts of criminal damage (over $1,000)
• 10 counts of conspiracy
• Seven counts of non-residential burglary
• Five counts of larceny (over $2,500, under $20,000)
• One count of larceny (over $20,000)
• One count of larceny (over $500, under $2,500)

He’s set to face a judge on Thursday for a detention hearing.