Crime & Safety

Murrieta Police Arrest 2 in Suspected iPod, Laptop Thefts

Officers reportedly encountered two suspicious looking males walking in an area where they had just received a residential alarm call, a Murrieta police sergeant said today.

Two suspects accused of stealing electronics were arrested early Thursday in Murrieta while police were en route to an unrelated call.

Officers reportedly came upon two suspicious-looking males at about 3:50 a.m. walking on Las Brisas Road at Hancock Avenue as they were responding to a residential alarm call at nearby Seven Oaks Drive, said Murrieta police Sgt. Dave Baca.

The duo were "wearing dark hooded clothing walking...away from Seven Oaks Drive area," Baca said.

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Officers stopped the pedestrians, who identified themselves as a juvenile and an adult on formal probation, the sergeant said. 

"Consent searches of both subjects resulted in the discovery of five cellphones, one iPod and a pink Toshiba laptop computer discarded a few feet away," Baca said.

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An alleged victim was contacted and told officers that within the last 10 hours someone had taken his iPod and cellphone from his car, Baca said.

Suspect Michael Ray Baird, Jr., 21, of Murrieta was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property. The juvenile, whose name was not released, was also taken into custody on suspicion of the same offense.

Baird was also booked on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a felony and probation violation. He was being held in lieu of $5,000 bail at Southwest Detention Center, jail records showed.

"The Seven Oaks Drive alarm call was a false alarm," Baca said.


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