Hollister
– Four victims of a large-scale burglary and fencing operation
uncovered by police last year are trying to piece their lives and
homes back together, but frequent court appearances and slow-moving
legal proceedings aren’t making it easy.
Hollister – Four victims of a large-scale burglary and fencing operation uncovered by police last year are trying to piece their lives and homes back together, but frequent court appearances and slow-moving legal proceedings aren’t making it easy.
“I just want to move on,” said Angelica Munoz, whose Hollister home was among several burglarized last year. “This has been devastating.”
The victims appeared in San Benito County Superior Court Wednesday for a restitution hearing, the latest in a long series of appearances. Each brought a list of the property stolen from their homes. However, the hearing was postponed, to the ire of the victims, to give the court and probation department more time to review the property lists.
Munoz said she is tired of going to court and seeing the people who stole thousands of dollars worth of items from her home, including eight golden retriever puppies. Although six of the puppies were recovered, Munoz said she is still finding that some of her possessions are missing.
The three Hollister residents involved in the burglary and fencing operation have all been sentenced, but victims don’t feel like they have seen justice yet. The court still has to decided how much the defendants will owe the victims in restitution.
Martha Castaneda, the first person arrested by police for the string of six residential burglaries, was sentenced in March to 180 days in San Benito County Jail. Sergio Covarrubias, who police believe was the ring leader, was sentenced to three years in prison shortly after Castaneda and could be deported to Mexico after serving his sentence. His wife, Antonia Covarrubias, was fined $915 for her role in the crimes. Police believe all three were stealing to support drug habits.
Police uncovered the burglary ring last October and seized nearly $100,000 worth of stolen property. While some of the property has been returned, many of the victims said they had to throw away the stolen loot because it was damaged.
Hollister Police Detective Rudy Rodriguez said some of the stolen property was found mixed in with dirty diapers and cat litter.
Mandi Culala and her husband Aaron, who are trying to recover nearly $30,000 worth of property stolen from their home, are angry about the whole ordeal.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” she said. “We have to keep taking off work to come here while they’re the ones who came into our homes and stole our stuff.”
Culala said many of the items stolen from her home are irreplaceable, such as a book on Marilyn Monroe signed by famed author Norman Mailer and her grandmother’s engagement ring. Police later recovered the book, but entire pages had been torn from it and used to decorate Castaneda’s bedroom.
The burglary has been so upsetting that they recently moved into a gated Hollister community.
“My son asked if (the burglars) were going to come back,” Culala said Wednesday. “So we ended up moving.”
Kris Madison, who had $12,000 worth of property stolen from her home, is also frustrated. Madison said she is angered each time that she has to see Castaneda and Covarrubias in court.
“I’m sick of getting dirty looks from them,” she said. “(Castaneda) had my stuff decorating her crack ho house.”
Madison said 15 autographed San Jose Shark’s jerseys were stolen from her home, but luckily 14 were recovered and returned before the team entered the Stanley Cup playoffs. The jerseys were just one of the many things stolen, she said.
Castaneda appeared in court Wednesday, but refused to comment after the brief hearing.
Aaron Culala was especially frustrated that his things were stolen for drug money.
“They used our house as a convenience store just to get another high,” he said.
The thieves stole everything from toothbrushes to jewelry, including clothing, shampoo and makeup. All four victims said they would never be able to wear the clothing stolen from their homes again.
Wednesday’s restitution hearing was postponed until May 17, but legal wrangling about which defendant will have to pay what amount could slow proceedings, said defense attorney Harry Damkar, who represents Sergio Covarrubias. Damkar said Covarrubias would have a hard time paying restitution at all.
“It would be very unlikely that my client would have the ability to pay,” he said. “He’s in prison and will probably be deported.”
District Attorney John Sarsfield said he sympathized with the victims and vowed to work diligently to ensure they received restitution. Sarsfield said the three defendants will be held jointly responsible for paying the total amount of restitution ordered by the court.
However, defense attorney Greg LaForge, who represented Antonia Covarrubias, said his client would only be responsible for the stolen property found in her home due to conditions of a plea bargain.
Castaneda’s attorney declined to comment.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
