Six Arrested in Riverside County Train Burglaries

Nearly $200,000 in stolen merchandise recovered after months-long investigation.

Six individuals have been arrested in connection to a string of train burglaries across Riverside County, which led to the theft of nearly $200,000 worth of merchandise, authorities announced.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspects as Renato Compean Briones, 29, and Carla Virginia Urias Herrera, 39, both of Indio; Jesus Ivan Castillo Ruiz, 28, of Thermal; Juan Pablo Ortega Hernandez, 38, and Deette Nadine Amezquita Luna, 36, both of Mecca; and Bernardo Acosta, 39, of Mecca.

The investigation began on August 2 when deputies responded to reports of a train burglary near Hammond Road and 68th Avenue in Mecca. While deputies located stolen items nearby, the suspects had already fled the scene.

In the months that followed, investigators worked to uncover the storage locations of the stolen goods.

On November 6, deputies served a search warrant at a residence and storage unit in the 82200 block of Santa Rosa Avenue in Indio. There, they discovered over $80,000 worth of stolen merchandise, including sneakers and retail items. Briones and Herrera were arrested at the scene.

Days later, another search warrant was executed at a home in the 88800 block of 62nd Avenue in Thermal, where authorities recovered over $12,000 in stolen goods. Castillo Ruiz was taken into custody during the operation.

On November 21, the investigation led deputies to a property on Calle Sor Juana in Mecca and a storage unit on Highway 111 in Coachella. More than $76,000 worth of merchandise was seized, and Hernandez and Luna were arrested.

A day later, on November 22, deputies responded to another train burglary near Hammond Road in Mecca. They found multiple open train containers and a suspicious vehicle parked at the scene, though no suspects were apprehended at that time.

The investigation culminated on December 4 when authorities searched a storage unit on Highway 111 in Coachella, recovering an additional $26,000 in stolen items. Six days later, Acosta was arrested in connection to the thefts.

In total, deputies recovered approximately $194,000 worth of stolen goods. The six suspects now face an array of charges, including burglary, possession of stolen property, conspiracy, violation of probation, possession of burglary tools, and grand theft.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with additional information to contact Deputies Hernandez and Padilla at the Thermal Sheriff’s Station at 760-863-8990.