HESPERIA – Deputies received a tip from a resident who suspected three people were breaking into a neighbor’s home last week.
When San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies arrived, they discovered the two men had broken into a residence on the 8300 block of Minstead Ave. while an accomplice was waiting nearby.
Dustin Hilton, 31, Jonathon Arriola, 29, and Meagen Nelson, 23, were arrested on charges of residential burglary. On Sunday, authorities said the trio would likely appear in court this week.
Sgt. Doug Hubbard, crediting an unidentified person for reporting the crime, said, “the citizen provided detailed information about the suspects, including their vehicle, and continued to provide updates as deputies were responding.”
Shortly after 6 p.m. on March 24, deputies, including a helicopter unit, saw Nelson in a vehicle parked near the residence. Deputies detained her without incident, said Hubbard, before discovering that there had been evidence of a forced entry into the residence.
There was a brief struggle with the two additional suspects, Hilton and Arriola, who attempted to escape through a window. Both suspects, said Hubbard, fled into a bedroom and “failed to comply with deputies’ orders to surrender.”
Both resisted arrest, said Hubbard. Additional deputies arrived and performed a detailed search of the residence. Evidence was recovered that apparently tied the suspects to the crime.
“The suspects had been in the process of ransacking the victim’s property,” said Hubbard, “and it is believed the suspects had planned to load property into the waiting vehicle, or possibly steal a vehicle from inside the (residence’s) garage.”
Burglary tools were discovered inside the suspects’ car, said Hubbard, adding that there might be reason to believe they are involved in other similar cases.
All three suspects were taken to High Desert Detention Center on charges of residential burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and resisting arrest. Authorities did not reveal the name of either the victim or the reporting party, who was “commended for their diligence, quick thinking and ability to provide specific details to sheriff’s dispatch operators,” said Hubbard.
Read More:
Hesperia Star: Three arrested after citizen alerts deputies to burglary
Victor Valley News: Three burglars arrested
