Police Probe Rash of Retail Burglaries In Monterey
MONTEREY (BCN) -- Police in Monterey are investigating several separate organized retail burglaries that have occurred in the last several weeks.
On March 8 at 6:31 p.m., officers with the Monterey Police Department were dispatched to a business at the Del Monte Shopping Center on Munras Avenue on a report of a robbery that had just occurred.
Police said two men entered the store and started grabbing multiple pairs of sunglasses. An employee tried to intervene, and the suspects pushed the employee away. The suspects stole approximately $13,000 worth of merchandise and fled the area.
On March 12 at 4:59 p.m., officers. responded to the same shopping center on a report two men and two women entered a store and began filling bags with sunglasses. The suspects stole approximately $15,000 in sunglasses and fled the area in a dark-colored sedan.
On April 11 at 5:46 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 700 block of Cannery Row on a report of a burglary that had just occurred. Police said two men wearing masks entered the business and grabbed multiple pairs of sunglasses. The suspects stole approximately $13,000 worth of sunglasses and fled the scene in a silver sedan.
Responding officers located a vehicle that matched the suspect vehicle's description, but the vehicle fled from officers at a high rate of speed, and the suspects were not apprehended.
Investigators ultimately identified one of the suspects from the April 11 theft as Colton Hunter, 31, of Turlock, and obtained a warrant for his arrest for commercial burglary and felony evading, police said.
On April 15 at 5:37 p.m., officers responded to a business at the Del Monte Shopping Center on a report of a burglary that had just occurred.
Police said four men in masks entered the business carrying bags and stole approximately $80,000 in sunglasses.
The suspects fled the scene in a dark grey sedan.
Police and the California Highway Patrol located and pursued the vehicle, but the vehicle ultimately eluded officers, and the suspects were not apprehended.
On Thursday at 12:48 p.m., officers responded to a business in the 700 block of Cannery Row on a report of a burglary that had just occurred. Police said a woman entered the store with a trash bag and stole approximately $10,000 in sunglasses.
The suspect fled the scene in a black Mercedes.
