SHERIFF DETECTIVES CRACK THEFT RING; VEHICLES BURGLARIZED AT LOCAL HIKING TRAILS

Suspects also accused of using stolen credit cards at local businesses

By Miriam Raftery

April 12, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego Sheriff detectives, following an extensive theft and fraud investigation, have made several arrests related to vehicle burglaries at local hiking trails including the El Capitan Preserve in Lakeside, Blue Sky Open Space Trail in Santee, and trailheads at Mission Trails Regional Park in San Diego.

This morning, Santee detectives arrested Jesse “Peggo” Havens, 30, at the Ha Penny Inn in El Cajon. He is believed responsible for multiple break-ins while victims were hiking trails. Havens and accomplices are also implicated in using stolen credit cards from the vehicle burglaries at ten different locations in Santee and Lakeside.
 

Havens’ arrest followed other arrests after numerous suspects were identified in the investigation. On April 4, detectives arrested a 15-year-old female juvenile and David Rodriguez, 20, in the 11000 block of Wildcat Canyon Road for the fraudulent use of the stolen credit cadrs. Three days later, additional leads led detectives to the 500 block of Chase Ave. in El Cajon, where Rachelle Valdez, 23, was arrested and charged with felony theft-related charges.
 

“The majority of merchandise purchased with the stolen credit cards was recovered by detectives at various locations,” said Sgt. Tom Poulin.

Among the victims was Dennis Richardson of Lakeside, an ECM photographer who was hiking and had parked his car on Wildcat Canyon near the Blue Sky Open Space trailhead. "We started at 9:30 am and finished at 5 pm to find my car and four other cars with broken windows, glass all over the seats and my stuff gone. Not a great way to finish a great hike," he said. "To replace the window glass was $140 and I lost $500 worth of stuff."
 

Havens , a Lakeside resident, was booked into San Diego County Jail on numerous felong charges including commercial burglary, possession of burglary tools, and identity theft. His bail is set at $105,000. Others face charges ranging from felon theft to possession of a controlled substance.
 

“Detectives expect to make several more arrests in this ongoing investigation,” said Poulin concluded.