Crime & Safety
Banning Boot Barn Burglars Arrested: PD
All the burglaries occurred after the store had closed, and the same items were targeted — Levi jeans and Carhartt shirts, police said.
BANNING, CA — A convicted felon who allegedly committed multiple burglaries at the same Banning retail outlet, stealing several thousand dollars' worth of clothes, was assisted by a woman recently identified, authorities alleged Thursday.
Anita Maria Martinez, 49, of Banning was formally arrested Monday at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, where she was already in custody on a separate firearm assault case. She was additionally booked on suspicion of theft and trespassing in connection with the store burglaries.
Martinez is being held on $50,000 bail.
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Last week, Banning Police Department investigators arrested 30-year-old Jose Alberto Hernandez of Banning in connection with three break-ins at the Boot Barn at 300 S. Highland Springs Ave. They occurred on May 26, June 4 and July 9, according to court records.
Hernandez pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two counts each of burglary, vandalism and grand theft, as well as probation violations. Riverside County Superior Court Judge Francisco Navarro scheduled a felony settlement conference for Aug. 16 at the Banning Justice Center.
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The defendant is being held on $30,000 bail at the Smith jail.
Banning police Lt. Brandon Smith said the burglaries all occurred after the store had closed, and the same items were targeted, which court papers identified as dozens of pairs of Levi's blue jeans and Carhartt brand shirts and related articles.
It was unclear whether Hernandez was selling the stolen goods.
Smith said detectives and loss prevention investigators from Boot Barn's corporate office "worked closely" to scrutinize security video camera recordings and gather other clues to identify Hernandez. On July 30, search warrants were obtained and served at properties on Theodore Street and San Andreas Road, where "investigators located several jeans and a firearm," the lieutenant said.
On Friday, Hernandez was taken into custody without incident at the San Andreas Road residence.
Court documents show he has documented prior convictions for grand theft, shoplifting, vandalism and harassment by telephone.
Background information on Martinez, including her gun assault case, was unavailable.
