Four burglary suspects have been arrested and investigators believe they are part of a long-standing crime ring that is linked to a break-in that happened in Cerritos on Tuesday as well as several others targeting Yorba Linda residences, according to an Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman.
"We believe this ring is responsible for numerous burglaries in the city of Yorba Linda," OCSD's Jim Amormino said.
The Burglary Ring Suspects
Lisette Monique Ayala, 18; Andrew Rashad Gatlin, 22, who is on parole for burglary; Terrence Davion Collins, 22, also on parole for burglary; and Art Anthony Wibberding, 28, were arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of criminal conspiracy and possession of stolen property and possession of burglary tools, he said.
Ties to Cerritos Break-In
All four are from the Los Angeles area and were also in possession of items linked to a Cerritos burglary that took place early Tuesday, Amormino said.
Details of that break-in were not immediately available, according to Lt. Richard Harpham of the Cerritos Sheriff's Station.
While authorities believe the foursome is responsible for other Los Angeles County crimes, they are suspected in a rash of burglaries in Yorba Linda that started some time before October and peaked in December.
What Led to the Arrests
Orange County sheriff's deputies got a report from a Yorba Linda resident about 8 p.m. Jan. 29 about a woman who rang his or her doorbell and asked for someone who did not live there.
"That's a common burglary tactic," Amormino said.
About a block away, sheriff's deputies found a red Lexus containing a woman identified as the one who rang the doorbells and the three men, Amormino said. Inside the car, deputies found burglary tools and stolen property, including guns, the spokesman said.
The Lexus was across the street from an under-construction home that recently was burglarized, and deputies found evidence linking the four to that crime, he said.
- City News Service contributed to this report.
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