Bathtub Leads to Arrest of Burglary Suspect
CORRALITOS—A vacation is a good time to decompress and get away from the hustle and hassles of everyday life. Sometimes a vacation can even help you face the pressures of the coming year. That was not the case for one Corralitos resident, for when he returned home from his vacation on May 15, he found that his house had been robbed.
Mark Trinidad
The victim immediately notified the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department and reported that someone had burglarized his house and took everything of value.
Almost everything that was not nailed down on his property had been stolen. Some of the missing items include furniture, linens, lamps, kitchen items, coins, a wood burning stove, a washer and dryer, tools, power yard tools, wine and jewelry.
“The house was pretty much cleaned out.” Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Patrick Dimick said.
The thief or thieves took his toilet and a claw foot bathtub. As if that was not enough, they even took three of his vehicles that he had on the property. They took a Mercedes, Ford Ranger and a classic 1967 Ford Mustang, which is still missing. The estimated value of the heist was more than $100,000.
“This area of Corralitos is very rural, there are a few neighbors but they are spread out,” Sergeant Dimick added. “One neighbor noticed a truck coming up and down the road but did not notify the police.”
On Wednesday June 12, investigators with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department received a call from an Antique Shop in Soquel. The caller stated that a suspicious person was attempting to sell a trailer full of stuff that included a claw foot bathtub.
Posing as buyers, investigators positively identified the bathtub as the one stolen from the burglary. The suspect, Mark Trinidad, was arrested for possession of stolen property and possession of methamphetamines.
A search of the suspect’s vehicle yielded a handgun. A search of his trailer revealed that many of the items from the burglary were present including furniture and tool cabinets. Investigators served a search warrant at Trinidad’s residence in Hollister.
Police recovered more stolen property including lamps, bed linen, towels, furniture, flatware and china. They even recovered the victim’s shower caddy with the victim’s shampoo still in it.
Trinidad was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail on charges of possession of a stolen property, felon in possession of a handgun, possession of methamphetamine and being under the influence of a controlled substance. His bail has been set at $25,000.
Read More:
1) Santa Cruz Sentinel- Man Accused of Ransacking Corralitos Home, from Vintage Mustang to Shower Caddy
