Home Invasion, Tenants Arrested

SALINAS—The Salinas Police Department arrested the tenant of a home after they were the victims of a home invasion.  Arrested were 26-year-old Miguel Beltran and 19-year-old William Hernandez both of Salinas.

Looking down 300 Block of Williams Road

According to eyewitnesses, two unidentified armed suspects entered the home on the 300 block of Williams Road in Salinas and robbed six other occupants of cash and other property.

The two suspects fled the area before police could arrive.  As police were en route two other tenants of the home arrived.  Neighbors, unaware that the two were tenants, called the police to report that the suspects came back and were seen loading weapons into a white car that was parked at the home.

When police arrived the car was still parked in the driveway and the two tenants were seen walking away from the home.  Police located and detained both Beltran and Hernandez while they conducted their investigation.

Inside the sedan, police spotted a rifle that was in plain view.  Now with probable cause, police searched the vehicle and found a pound of marijuana, a .30 caliber M1 carbine rifle, a 9mm machine pistol with a 30-round magazine and multiple rounds of ammunition.  They also found a military grade flak jacket.

“The two were not the suspects in the original call,” Salinas Police Officer Miguel Cabrera said.” It seems that they just missed the home invasion by minutes.”

The officers were able to determine that both Beltran and Hernandez were in the process of transporting the drugs and firearms to a different location.

“Although we were not able to arrest the suspects that committed the original crime,” Cabrera added, “We were able to get the weapons and the drugs off the streets.”

Both Beltran and Hernandez were booked into the Monterey County Jail and a variety of drugs and gun charges.

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Salinas PD: Home Invasion Robbery