Car burglar, fiancé arrested with kids in tow

IRVINE — If Santa really does have a naughty list, a man and his fiancé are likely to be on it after being arrested Dec. 22 for conspiracy to commit vehicle burglary and other charges.

Andrew Dalton, 32, and Melanie Deangelo, 31, both of Anaheim, were taken into custody early Tuesday morning, after police received reports that a man was checking cars for unlocked doors in a parking lot on the 1100 block of Quail Ridge.

Responding officers arrived to find a male subject in the area that matched the description of the car-door-handle-pulling suspect and found items in his possession that further raised the suspicions of police.

Items in the suspect’s possession included a burglary tool, a window punch, gloves and a flashlight, according to police.

Further investigation lead police to a nearby complex where they located the suspect’s vehicle which was occupied by his fiancé and their two young children.

A “quantity of porcelain chips” was also found in the vehicle — a tool often used by thieves to shatter car windows, said police — as well as items believed to have been stolen in recent vehicle and business burglaries. Those items included GPS units, a laptop computer, cell phones, a check book, identification and credit cards.

Dalton faces charges of suspicion of possession of burglary tools, vehicle tampering and conspiracy to commit vehicle burglary.

Deangelo was charged with suspicion of possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit vehicle burglary and possession of marijuana. An additional charge of child endangerment was also issued as Deangelo had her children with her while she and her fiance “acted in furtherance of their conspiracy to commit vehicle burglary.”

The children were taken to an emergency shelter home.

So far, police say they have located six victims but believe there may be others that have yet to realize they’re victims. They are encouraging people living in the area to check their vehicles and report any losses to the Irvine Police Department.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact Det. Wayne Brannon at (949) 724-7177.