KILLEEN (October 30, 2009)--Lance Nickolas Mendez, 19, of Killeen, was in the Bell County Jail Friday in lieu of bonds totaling $65,000, charged with three counts of burglary of a vehicle, one count of burglary of a habitation, and one count of tampering with a government record.

Killeen police arrested Mendez early Wednesday after officers were dispatched to a home in the 400 block of West Mary Jane Drive in response to a resident’s report that he saw someone breaking into his vehicle.

Officers arrested Mendez at the scene and recovered a backpack in which they found property taken in several burglaries including property taken from the vehicle of the resident who reported the burglary, police said.

They also discovered that the door of the garage of a neighboring home was halfway open.

Inside officers discovered that a cell phone had been taken from a car inside the garage, police said, that matched a phone found in the backpack.

Other vehicle burglaries were discovered at 401 W. Mary Jane Dr. and at 305 Worth Dr., police said.

Mendez initially identified himself to officers as Elios Hernendeza, police said, but it was later determined he had given a false name when he was booked into the Bell County Jail.

As a result, he was also charged with tampering with a government record, police said.