Visalia police arrest four men after search for alleged burglars

 Posted on November 18,2011 in Dealing with the Police

Authorities say that a law enforcement investigation into a string of California burglaries led to a number of recent arrests on a variety of charges, including allegations of gang involvement. One man was arrested on attempted burglary and conspiracy charges. Three other men reportedly were later arrested on weapons charges with allegations of gang enhancements.

Apparently, Visalia police responded to a call reporting suspicious activity. Police say the report claimed four men were attempting to break in to a backyard in Visalia. Law enforcement claims a medical marijuana grow was located on the property. News reports do not suggest the marijuana grow was illegal under California law.

A parole agent reportedly was in the same area around the same time. The parole agent claims to have seen the men drive away from the Visalia property. The parole agent claims the men stopped, but fled when the parole agent confronted the four men.

Police found one man nearby and arrested him on suspicion of attempted burglary and conspiracy charges. Law enforcement were not able to locate three other men at that time that allegedly matched the description of the men purportedly involved in the incident at the Visalia property.

Sometime after the initial arrest, police claim to have seen a car with three men inside. Law enforcement alleges the men matched the descriptions of the men seen at the Visalia property. Visalia gang suppression unit officers reportedly conducted a traffic stop of the suspect vehicle.

The gang suppression officers allege they discovered a loaded handgun in the vehicle and arrested the three men on weapons charges. Apparently law enforcement believes the men are alleged gang members. The three men may also face California gang crime enhancements after the incident, according to the Times-Delta.

News reports indicate that law enforcement does not believe any of the four men arrested were involved in any of the string of burglaries that law enforcement was originally investigating in the Visalia area.

Source: Visalia Times-Delta, "Search for burglary suspects leads Visalia officers to gang bust," Nov. 10, 2011