Waco police say that the help of several citizens made possible the arrest of a couple suspected of victimizing residents of the area for some time.

Spokesman Patrick Swanton says citizens who had heard about an advisory sent out last week noticed the pair acting suspiciously and called police.

The alert had concerned a couple who responded to ads and would come to homes voicing interest in merchandise that was being sold, saying they would come back the next day with cash to make the purchase.

Then the woman would say she needed to use the bathroom and was pregnant and would be very persistent.

The man would then distract the residents and the woman would take items from the home.

Swanton says multiple people responded saying they had experienced the same thing.

Then Sunday evening officers were called to the 3700 block of North 21st regarding a man and woman who had entered a home without permission asking about a television.

The woman, identified as 26 year old Julie Tootsie Costa was arrested for criminal trespass that night and the 27 year old man, identified as Rio Calvin Mitchell was picked up on a warrant for a prior burglary.

Property recovered at the scene and during a subsequent search of a motel room turned up additional evidence leading investigators to believe the pair had committed several thefts in Waco and in the surrounding area.

Costa was being charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, criminal trespass of a habitation, and failure to ID as a wanted fugitive from Collin County.

Mitchell was charged with two traffic warrants and a burglary of a habitation charge.

Police say the burglary charges stems from a case where the couple was accused of conning their way into a home in the 4500 block of Sanger Avenue back on November 26 at which time jewelry was taken from an elderly couple.

Spokesman Swanton says there is the possibility of further charges.