Two Men Arrested in Palm Desert Residential Burglaries

PALM DESERT (CNS) - Two men have been arrested for allegedly
committing a pair of residential burglaries in Palm Desert, authorities said
today.
  

Juan Antonio Avina, 44, of Indio and Manuel Victor Ortiz Guerra, 38,
of Bermuda Dunes were arrested Tuesday and booked into Benoit Detention Center
in Indio on suspicion of residential burglary, committing a felony while out on
bail, committing a theft with prior convictions and fraud-related charges,
according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
  

Deputies responded to a report of a burglary at 8:19 p.m. Jan. 23 in
the 72700 block of Carob Court. The victim told authorities a male allegedly
walked into the residence and stole items while a family was inside the
property, and that there were unauthorized charges on the victim's credit card
stolen during the burglary.
  

Despite an extensive search that night, the suspect was not found.
  

Authorities identified Avina and Guerra as suspects, and also
identified them as suspects in a separate residential burglary in the 100 block
of Chelsea Circle on Jan. 26, according to the department.
  

They were located at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Portola Road and
Julie Lane in Palm Desert, where they were taken into custody without incident.
  

Served search warrants were executed at two residences -- in the 46000
block of Clinton Street in Indio and in the 78000 block of Avenue 42 in the
unincorporated area of Bermuda Dunes -- where ``evidence was collected that
connected Avina and Guerra to the residential burglaries being investigated,''
the agency said.
  

The investigation was ongoing, and anyone with additional information
was asked to call 760-836-1600.

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