San Benito County sheriff’s deputies, assisted by Hollister
police officers, arrested five suspects in connection with a
residential burglary after the victim came home to find subjects
running through her residence Monday afternoon, Undersheriff Pat
Turturici said.
San Benito County sheriff’s deputies, assisted by Hollister police officers, arrested five suspects in connection with a residential burglary after the victim came home to find subjects running through her residence Monday afternoon, Undersheriff Pat Turturici said.
At 12:10 p.m. Monday, two San Benito County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 100 block of Eldorado Drive on the report of an unknown suspect jumping the fence of a residence. The victim reported seeing four subjects running through her residence and leaving through the back door after being gone for a few hours, according to the sheriff’s office.
One of the deputies noticed a suspect hiding behind a dump trailer in the empty lot to the south of the residence. The deputy chased after him and caught up with the suspect, according to Turturici. The deputy noticed the suspect’s pants pockets were “bulging” with items and asked if him if he was carrying anything illegal. The 20-year-old Hollister male told the deputy there was nothing illegal in his pockets.
The deputy checked the suspect’s pockets and found an iPod, a digital camera, $24 in cash, numerous coins and a small bottle of medication, all of which the victim identified as her property.
Deputies went back into the house and found a flat-screen TV partially wrapped in a blanket and “numerous” other pieces of electronic equipment out of place. All of these goods previously were sitting in the living room.
While conducting the investigation, the other deputy observed a black sport utility vehicle turn down Eldorado Drive, quickly turn around and drive away from the scene at a high rate of speed. The deputy called in a “be on the lookout for” the black SUV. Shortly thereafter, Hollister police officers stopped the black Chevrolet Tahoe at a residence in the 700 block of Busby Court, where four other suspects were detained, Turturici said.
One of the suspects from the SUV had women’s jewelry in his possession and women’s clothing was also found in the vehicle, all of which was identified by the victim as hers.
Five suspects were arrested in connection with the burglary, including an 18-year-old Salinas male, 19-year-old and 20-year-old Hollister males and two male Hollister juveniles, ages 16 and 17. The three adult males were booked into the county jail, and the juveniles were booked into juvenile hall.
All of the suspects claimed to be Norteno gang members, and Turturici said the sheriff’s office will be working with the San Benito County District Attorney’s Office to “see if it can charge the juveniles as adults as they claim a gang.”
If you have any information about this case, call the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office at 636-4080.
