One of the people who provided information which helped the
owners of eight stolen puppies to recover their pets was arrested
Saturday in connection with the theft, and is believed to be part
of a large-scale burglary and fencing ring operating out of
Hollister, according to police.
Hollister – One of the people who provided information which helped the owners of eight stolen puppies to recover their pets was arrested Saturday in connection with the theft, and is believed to be part of a large-scale burglary and fencing ring operating out of Hollister, according to police.
Sergio Covarrubias, 37, was arrested in the 10 block of Hawkins Street – the address of another woman police arrested last week who they believe was part of the burglary – while officers executed a search warrant at the home around 12:30pm Saturday, according to Hollister Police Detective Rudy Rodriguez.
While Rodriguez was tight-lipped about the arrest because a complex investigation is pending, he said Covarrubias was one of the first two suspects identified as being involved in the case. He is one of the men who offered information about eight puppies’ whereabouts after they were stolen from a residence on Clearview Drive a couple of weeks ago. The puppy-napping incident tipped police to several suspects who have burglarized a number of Hollister homes recently, according to police.
Covarrubias, who had stolen property in his possession when he was arrested, is the third suspect taken into custody. Police believe further investigation could amass a list of at least half a dozen suspects and lead to property recovered from numerous residential burglaries over the past several months.
Hollister residents Martha Castaneda and Antonia Covarrubia Nunez were arrested last week. When Castaneda was arrested, police connected stolen property she had with three other residential burglaries that occurred last month, along with the Oct. 25 burglary on Clearview Drive where the eight 3-week-old golden retriever puppies were stolen.
The number of burglaries to which police have traced stolen property has since doubled, and could rise even further as the investigation continues, according to Rodriguez.
After publicizing the puppy theft, a tipster led the owners of the dogs – of which six have been recovered and returned to their mother – to Covarrubias, who informed the owners that several of the dogs had been taken to Salinas.
The other two dogs are still missing, however if anyone has information about the burglary ring or the dogs’ whereabouts they are asked to contact the Hollister Police Department at (831) 636-4330.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
