Organized Retail Crime Not Exclusive To Big Cities; Three Not-So-Wise Men Busted Burglarizing Store In Rancho Mirage

In a case of organized retail crime, three criminals from the Inland Empire are jailed in Indio on one million dollars bail each.

On Wednesday, December 6th, 2023, at 7:15 p.m., deputies responded to a business in the 34200 block of Monterey Avenue, in Rancho Mirage, which is where the Home Depot Store is located. 

Several suspects were inside the store cutting through locked cages and loading expensive tools into large trash cans.

Deputies surrounded the business and took all the suspects into custody.  They are 40-year-old Feliciano Gonzalez of Perris, 35-year-old Eric Arias of Colton, and 41-year-old Felipe Chavez of San Bernardino. 

The suspects are believed to have committed similar crimes throughout California for several months. The suspects were booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio for commercial burglary, conspiracy, grand theft, and organized retail theft with  bail set at 1-million dollars each.

Metal police handcuffs

Photo from Alpha Media Portland OR