Five people, including at least two with felony convictions, suspected in a series of burglaries and solar combiner box thefts in Perris and Moreno Valley were taken into custody Wednesday.
Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Perris Station responded to the 2000 block of Blue Elm Road in Perris on July 28 to reports regarding multiple solar combiner boxes stolen from a new residential development, according to sheriff’s officials.
Additional solar charging batteries were taken from another new housing development in the 24000 block of Sirius Avenue in Moreno Valley on Wednesday, prompting Perris Sheriff’s Station Robbery and Burglary Suppression Team personnel to investigate the matter.
Several search warrants were executed by RBST personnel with assistance from Special Enforcement Team and Homeless Outreach Team investigators in the 21000 block of John Street and the 21000 block of Nance Street in Mead Valley, where evidential items related to the thefts were recovered, such as an unregistered rifle and ammunition, sheriff’s officials said.
Investigators identified Ignacio Barraza of Mead Valley, 32, as a person of interest in connection with the theft and took him into custody, where he was booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center.
Four other suspects were identified and taken into custody:
— Katy Medina of Mead Valley, 32, who was booked on suspicion of being in possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia;
— Angel Rubio of Mead Valley, 33, who was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of ammunition, probation violation, and an outstanding warrant;
— Nelson Covarrubias of Mead Valley, 37, who was booked on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm; and
— Jacob Rubio of Mead Valley, 31, who was booked on suspicion of resisting arrest.
All suspects were also taken to the Cois Byrd Detention Center for processing, according to sheriff’s officials.
Anyone with information regarding the thefts was urged to call Perris Sheriff’s Station Deputy Hartert at 951-210-1000.
