Hunt for dangerous fugitive continuing

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Albuquerque police are continuing to search for a dangerous fugitive wanted for a string of armed robberies in New Mexico and two other states.

Police and the SWAT team thought they might have Chris Perea, 27, cornered in his apartment Tuesday leading to a six-hour standoff that shut down parts of Montgomery Boulevard NE and Pennsylvania Street.

He wasn't there, though, and police are not saying whether the fugitive they consider armed and dangerous is still in the city.

Perea is accused of a recent armed robbery in Austin, Texas, and another in Aurora, Colo. He's also believed to have hit at least 11 different businesses in Albuquerque.

People who lived near his apartment are concerned but said the SWAT standoff won't affect them.

"Not that it really scares me in the fact that, you know, I figured the police would take care of it or whatever," a man named Todd said.

Investigators searched Perea's apartment but reported they didn't find anything to further their investigation.