Covina burglary suspects caught with stolen Halloween costumes
A trio of suspected burglars ransacked a wholesale costume manufacturer in Covina Wednesday, making off with cash, Halloween costumes, accessories like costume wings, and toilet paper.
Their luck ran out when officers spotted their two sport utility vehicles leaving the area and pulled them over.
Covina Police Lt. Trevor Gaumer estimated officers recovered $5,200 worth of property taken from RG Costumes & Accessories, Inc.
In addition to the two SUVs, he said police also found an empty stolen van which may or may not have been used in the burglaries.
RG Costumes & Accessories,Inc. didn’t get back everything that was stolen, according to manager Kathy Ybarra.
Covina police suspect the burglars first broke in to a privately leased unit in a light industrial park in the 800 block of North Dodsworth Avenue at 1:19 a.m.
Gaumer said the suspects backed up into the roll-up door of a unit at the complex, triggering an alarm.
He said the burglars got inside the unit, but fled empty-handed. He said police believed the alarm spooked the suspects.
The man who was leasing the unit called police and showed officers a surveillance video, according to Gaumer. Caught on camera were the suspects’ two dark colored sport utility vehicles, a GMC Yukon and a Ford Expedition.
Officers discovered the costumes and other items came from RG Costumes at 726 Arrow Grand Circle. The business is near Arrow Highway and Grand Avenue.
The burglars went to the showroom upstairs and took costume samples from hangers, according to Ybarra. They fled with accessories and shoes.
She said the burglars looted the office. They also stole cash, files, scissors, a microwave, a fan and a bag with toilet paper, according to Ybarra.
“It was very, very random,” she said of the items stolen.
Police arrested Carlos Moscoso, 29, of El Monte, Dasie Corona, 30, of El Monte, and Raymond Jurado, 47, of Baldwin Park on suspicion of burglary.
Officer also recovered the stolen in the 800 block of North Dodsworth Avenue.
“It was not occupied and did not contain any suspected stolen property,” Gaumer said.
The three suspects remain in custody at Covina jail. Moscoso is being held on $25,000 bail, Jurado on $50,000 bail and Corona on $130,000 bail, according to booking records.
Gaumer said Corona was also arrested on a warrant, but he didn’t have details about the warrant.