::: COMMUNITY NEWS

[March 29] Murietans recovered stolen items Thursday afternoon at the James L. Noller Safety Center. “It’s rare that we’re able to get people’s stuff back,” said Detective Sgt. Pete James, center, as Jason Zenker picks up two of the three skateboards and a pair of pruning shears that were taken by thieves. Robin Kesich collects her husband’s golf clubs and an old football with “great sentimental value,” among other things. The number of thefts reported was up to 17 Thursday. None of the estimated $300 in cash reported stolen has been recovered.

Three arrested in thefts from cars in RM North

See the community's views on this topic -- click here

Previous coverage: Thieves steal items from 11 cars overnight in RM North (March 27, 2007)

Published Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Two juveniles and an adult were arrested Tuesday night in connection with over a dozen vehicle and garage burglaries that occurred less than 24 hours earlier in Murieta North, officials reported Wednesday.

One of the suspects is a Rancho Murieta male juvenile. The adult was identified as Zachary Beer, 19, of the 13000 block of Meiss Road in Sloughhouse, according to Detective Sgt. Pete James of the East Division of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department. A male juvenile was arrested at the same address.

The sheriff's department received 11 theft reports on Tuesday and an additional five by mid-afternoon today. The thefts occurred on Puerto and Guadalupe drives, Camino Del Lago, Cortina Court and Camino Del Sol, according to security logs.

"They were on a tear," said James..

Most of the vehicles the thieves targeted were unlocked and sitting in the driveway. Thieves took advantage of an open overhead garage door to enter a garage in one instance.

"The important thing is for residents to realize this can happen in Rancho Murieta," James said. "It's a quick, easy crime if it's unlocked." He reminded residents to remove valuables from their vehicles, and keep the doors to their cars and homes locked to prevent this sort of opportunistic crime.

James noted the case couldn't have been solved so quickly without the help of a Murieta resident who followed the suspects in his car and noted the suspects' license plate.

"It turned out to be a resident vehicle," Security Chief Greg Remson said Tuesday.

According to Remson, the resident heard a noise about 12:30 a.m. and looked out in time to see two young males inside the truck that was parked in his driveway and another male walking up from a neighbor's yard.

The resident noticed an unfamiliar Ford Expedition parked across the street from his home, followed it out of the community, and phoned the sheriff's department, Remson said.

The information the resident provided was "absolutely vital," James said. Sheriff's Detective Staci McAtee headed the team of five detectives that developed leads to the suspects, he said.

Officers searched both the Meiss Road and the Rancho Murieta residences, and the stolen property was recovered at the Meiss Road address, James said.

"We found much of the property that we already have reports on and additional property that we don't have reports on," he said. The stolen property totaled thousands of dollars in value and included five sets of golf clubs, skateboards, sunglasses, cash, business papers, CDs and a purse, according to officials.

James estimated 90 percent of the property reported stolen was recovered at the home, and said the best thing about the speedy resolution is being able to return the items to the rightful owners.

Charges varied for the three suspects, but included possession of stolen property, conspiracy, grand theft and being an accessory to a crime, James said. More charges could be added as the investigation continues.