Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Makes Arrests in Series of Burglaries
Tulare County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of burglary at a farm shop located in the 11900 Block of Road 248 in Porterville on February 8, 2024. The suspects forcibly entered the shop and made away with two ATVs and multiple power tools, as revealed upon the deputies’ arrival.
Subsequent to this incident, similar burglaries ensued over the course of three months, characterized by the theft of multiple ATVs, trailers, tools, and an estimated $60,000 worth of agricultural chemicals.
Rafael Lopez, aged 45, of Terra Bella, was identified as a suspect in at least three of these burglaries.
On May 28th, Lopez was apprehended at a property on Road 248, where deputies discovered two ATVs matching the descriptions of those reported stolen during a recent burglary. Following confirmation of the stolen status of the ATVs, Lopez was arrested for his involvement in the burglaries.
Moreover, Paulo Lima, aged 41, of Terra Bella, was also arrested at the same property and charged with possession of stolen property.
Detectives executed a warrant at a property associated with Lopez on May 29th, uncovering two additional stolen ATVs, a trailer, and various tools and chemicals linked to further burglaries.
Lopez is suspected of being implicated in at least eight burglaries across southern Tulare County since February 2024, including incidents in Porterville.
Individuals possessing information relevant to these incidents are encouraged to reach out to Detective Ryan Pugh or Sergeant Joseph Armstrong of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Ag Crimes Unit at (559) 733-6218. Alternatively, they can opt for anonymity by contacting (559) 725-4194 via call or text, or through email at tcso@tipnow.com.
