LOS ANGELES, CA – Irvine police have arrested one suspect and are asking the public to help identify a second in a series of vehicle burglaries in gym parking lots in which wallets and purses were stolen, according to the Irvine Police Department.
The department said in a statement Monday, Nov. 9, that detectives investigated several of the burglaries in October. The victims’ belongings were taken from their vehicles while they were inside local gyms.
Detectives arrested Cielo Garcia Cardenas, 29, of Canoga Park, who was booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of burglary and fraud. Investigators are still trying to identify a second suspect.
An arrest is not a conviction, and the allegations remain subject to the criminal court process.
Wallets and purses taken from vehicles
The Irvine Police Department said in its statement that “last month, detectives investigated several vehicle burglaries in gym parking lots where wallets and purses were stolen.”
According to the department, the owners were inside the gyms when their vehicles were burglarized, and the items taken were wallets and purses.
The department did not name the gyms or give the dates of the burglaries.
Stolen credit card used at retail store
Police said one of the stolen credit cards was later used at a retail store. Two suspects were seen at the store when the card was used, according to the department.
Detectives later arrested Cardenas, according to the department’s statement, and are still working to identify the second person seen at the store.
Arrest and booking
Cardenas is 29 and lives in Canoga Park, police said. The department said Cardenas was booked into Orange County Jail on suspicion of burglary and fraud.
Those are the grounds on which the arrest was made, not formal charges. Prosecutors had not announced charges against Cardenas in the information available Tuesday.
Cardenas is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Description of the second suspect
Police said the second suspect was wearing a blue T-shirt and may have tattoos on his right arm. The department asked anyone who recognizes him to come forward.
The department said in its statement that tips can be sent to Detective Baskin at [email protected].
How to report a theft from a vehicle
The Irvine Police Department publishes guidance on how to report a theft from a vehicle, which it defines as a suspect taking property from inside a vehicle. The page says: “If a crime is taking place now, please call 911.”
According to that page, an online report applies only if the loss does not exceed $950. For larger losses, the department asks people to call the Irvine Police Department at (949) 724-7000.
The page also advises people to list each item separately and to include serial numbers where possible.
People who have already filed a police report and want to follow up can contact the department’s Investigations Bureau. The bureau’s page says to call (949) 724-7160 and ask to speak to the detective handling the case. The bureau’s General Investigations division handles property crimes, including burglary and auto theft.
Separate burglary town hall set for Nov. 17
The Irvine Police Department has also announced a residential burglary town hall meeting for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the Irvine City Hall Conference and Training Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza.
The department’s announcement invites residents to “discover the latest tips to help protect your home, family, and neighborhood.” The event concerns residential burglaries, and nothing in the department’s announcement links it to the gym parking lot cases.
Second suspect has not been identified
Anyone with information about the case, or who recognizes the second suspect, is asked to contact Detective Baskin at the Irvine Police Department.
The case remains open. Police have not identified the second suspect, and no charges against Cardenas had been announced.
