York Police: Suspect arrested for breaking into vehicles in Austen Lakes Neighborhood

YORK, S.C. (News Release) — On Sunday, November 30, 2025, at approximately 12:30 a.m., the York Police Department received a 911 call reporting a male subject actively breaking into vehicles in the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Whitehall Hill Road within the Austen Lakes Neighborhood.

The caller, a resident of the neighborhood, confronted the suspect, prompting him to flee into a nearby wooded area. York Police officers responded immediately and began canvassing the area. Assistance was provided by the York County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit, which successfully located the suspect hiding in the tree line in the 1200 block of Whitehall Hill Road.

The suspect, identified as Jarol Salgado-Ortega, was taken into custody without incident and charged with three counts of Breaking and Entering into an Automobile. During the investigation, officers discovered that the blue hooded sweatshirt worn by Salgado-Ortega had been stolen from one of the vehicles. In addition to the clothes, the arrest reports claim Salgado-Ortega also took air fresheners, phone cords, and tools. All stolen property was recovered.

Officers determined that all vehicles entered during the incident were unlocked. The York Police Department reminds all residents to lock your vehicles at all times and keep valuables out of plain sight to help prevent similar crimes.