LONGMONT -- A Longmont teenager with a lengthy criminal history is behind a series of burglaries that have plagued several upscale neighborhoods here, police said Tuesday.

Police arrested Abel Verdugo-Felix, 19, on Monday after a resident in the 2300 block of Summitview Drive called to report two males knocking on doors and acting suspicious.

Longmont Sgt. Tim Lewis said patrol officers in the area of Pintail Drive caught up to Verdugo-Felix and a 16-year-old boy in a car carrying two large flat-screen televisions.

Lewis said detectives believe Verdugo-Felix is responsible for as many as five home burglaries in the Longmont area within the past 10 days.

"The burglaries we're tying to Verdugo and his associate is a pattern of unoccupied homes where people are at work," Lewis said. "There was broken-window entry and massive amounts of expensive items removed from homes."

He said police suspect the pair are partially responsible for a steep increase in reported break-ins in Longmont neighborhoods.

"In September, we've had 49 burglaries, which is up considerably for us," said Lewis, adding the numbers are about double the average. "It looks like we have several groups (of burglars) operating independently in the city."

Of those burglaries, 15 were during the day, 22 were at night and the others went several days before being discovered.

Lewis said Longmont officers have shared information about the incidents with Boulder authorities, but so far, they do not seem to be connected to a recent rash of break-ins in the Boulder area.

Verdugo-Felix -- who potentially faces multiple charges of burglary, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, criminal conspiracy, theft and burglary -- is well known to Longmont officers, Lewis said.

"We've had a lot of contacts, a lot of pattern crimes that he's been the leader of," Lewis said.

In May, Verdugo-Felix was arrested following a SWAT raid on a suspected drug house in Longmont.

Then 18, he was with another teenager when police raided 215 21st Ave. after neighbors complained about suspected drug activity. Verdugo-Felix was found hiding in a closet and was charged with possession of marijuana and tampering with evidence.

Boulder County Court records show those charges were dismissed in August with the notation that the case "cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt."

That same month, the teen pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, records show. He agreed to serve 24 hours community service and four days on a county work crew; in exchange, prosecutors dropped charges of reckless driving, eluding police and other traffic violations.

Less than two weeks after that sentencing, court records show, Verdugo-Felix was arrested on suspicion of felony trespassing and attempted third-degree assault. He is due in court for a status hearing on those charges Oct. 15.

Lewis said Longmont detectives have encouraged Boulder County prosecutors to take "a stronger look at him and keep him off the streets."

A spokeswoman for the Boulder District Attorney's Office did not return phone calls Tuesday.

Contact Camera Staff Writer Heath Urie at 303-473-1328 or urieh@dailycamera.com.