During the months of November and December, the Burbank Police Department conducted four undercover “Holiday Crime Suppression Operations” in the area of the mall, the village, and the Empire Center. The operations were established in order to target thefts from vehicles during the holiday shopping season.
During an operation that was conducted Wednesday, December 28, the undercover officers observed what appeared to be a suspicious and illicit transaction take place in the Empire Center. Additional officers responded to their location, near Best Buy, and contacted the individuals. One of the individuals was there to sell a stolen, unbeknownst to the buyer, power drill that was arranged through an on-line advertisement. The suspect admitted that the drill was stolen. Burbank Police detectives placed the individual selling the stolen merchandise under arrest.
Detectives responded to the suspect’s residence in Los Angeles, where three additional stolen power tools, all brand new and in boxes, were recovered. Based on detectives’ preliminary investigations, it appears the drills were stolen from multiple Home Depots in the San Gabriel Valley.
The suspect, Julio Landeros, 24, from Los Angeles was arrested for 496(a) PC, Possession of Stolen Property, and an unrelated warrant.
