GPS From Stolen Electronics Guides Police To Trio Accused Of LA County Burglary

CLAREMONT, CA — Police in Claremont announced Thursday they arrested three commercial burglary suspects who were found after they carelessly activated GPS signals on stolen electronic devices that alerted the victim.

Claremont Police Department officers responded about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday to a business, Aurora Modern Healing, at 865 W. Foothill Blvd., to investigate a report of a commercial burglary and learned suspects entered the premises through an unlocked roof hatch.

“Once inside, the suspect(s) stole numerous electronic items and fled the location,” according to a Claremont Police Department statement.

Later that morning, the victim called to advise one of the electronic devices was activated and the GPS showed it was in the area of Foothill Boulevard and Sumner Avenue in Pomona, police said.

“Officers responded and two subjects were contacted,” according to a police statement. “A search of their belongings was conducted and both subjects were found to be in possession of stolen property from the burglary. The two were taken into custody and transported to the Claremont PD Jail, where they were booked and later released on a citation.”

Later Wednesday, more of the electronic devices’ GPS signals indicated they were in the area of Towne Avenue and Vinton Avenue, also in Pomona.

“Officers drove to the area and contacted several subjects,” police said. “In a panic, one of the subjects swallowed fentanyl.”

L.A. County Fire Department personnel arrived, treated him and took him to a hospital.

“While providing medical attention to the one subject, officers recognized another suspect they saw on surveillance cameras commit the burglary earlier that morning,” police said. “The suspect was detained and found to be in possession of stolen property” and arrested.

He too was booked and released on a citation.

The trio were identified as Gerardo Acosta, 33, of Pomona; Marina Lopez, 18, also of Pomona; and Francisco Martinez, 29, of San Bernardino.

Acosta and Martinez were booked on suspicion of burglary and all three were booked on suspicion of receiving stolen property, police said.

Martinez was additionally suspected of methamphetamine possession and was the only one of the three facing a possible drug-related charge, according to police.

It was unclear which, if any of the three desperately gobbled down fentanyl.