Three arrested in Royal City area thefts case

ROYAL CITY — Three men were arrested and booked into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of possessing stolen property after a search was served on a home near Beverly on Thursday.  

Diego Nuerta Cabrera, 34, Quincy; Jesus Delacruz Botello, 46, Desert Aire and Arnoldo Tapia Gonzalez, 41, Mattawa, were arrested following the search of a residence on Lower Crab Creek Road, according to a release from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies from GCSO’s Crime Reduction Team also recovered stolen property, the GCSO release said. 

“Patrol deputies on Dec. 12 received two calls of copper wire theft from the Royal City area,” the GCSO release said. “Deputies stopped a pickup truck leaving one of the theft scenes, recovering stolen irrigation circle wire. Searching deeper, the CRT believed the people responsible were living in a home in the 17000 block of Lower Crab Creek Road.”  

Kyle Foreman, GCSO public information officer, said that’s the purpose of the CRT — to follow up on leads generated through initial investigations by patrol deputies, who usually are handling multiple calls and cases.  

“(The patrol deputies) may not have the time to conduct as extensive an investigation as the CRT investigators do,” Foreman said.  

Deputies recovered more than 500 feet of stolen wire, 68 containers of stolen chemicals, a small amount of drugs and a handgun stolen in 2021, the GCSO release said. Cabrera was charged with possession of the stolen gun. 

The Royal City, Beverly and Mattawa areas are farm and ranch country, with residences few and far between. Desert Aire and the surrounding area have a lot of part-time residences. Isolation and part-time use can make properties attractive to thieves, and Foreman said homeowners should take that into account.  

“Hardening the property to resist any intrusion is key,” Foreman said.  

Technology has expanded the security options available to homeowners, including systems that can notify property owners while a break-in is occurring. The size of unincorporated Grant County and the size of the GCSO staff mean that law enforcement may not be able to respond immediately. A home security system may convince thieves to think twice before attempting to rob a house.  

“They also provide evidence so we can follow up,” Foreman said. 

Well-lighted properties are less attractive to thieves, and so are properties where doors and windows are locked, on outbuildings as well as the house. Neighbors should be informed when homeowners will be away for a while, whether it’s a couple of days or most of the winter. The sheriff’s office encourages people who see suspicious activity around a neighbor’s home or property to contact the MACC dispatch center.  

None of the suspects were listed in custody with the Grant County Jail early Friday afternoon.