RivCo Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Stealing $11K Worth Of Construction Equipment

LAKE MATHEWS, CA — A Perris man was arrested on suspicion of grand theft and vehicle theft after Riverside County sheriff’s deputies investigated the theft of about $11,000 in construction equipment from the Lake Mathews area, authorities said.

Deputies from the Lake Mathews Sheriff’s Station were dispatched at 8:54 a.m. Oct. 20 to the 24000 block of Hill Top Drive in the unincorporated community of Lake Mathews for a report of stolen construction equipment, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies searched the area but did not locate any suspects, the agency said.

When the Lake Mathews Station Special Enforcement Team took over the case Nov. 20, investigators identified Sergio Fernandez, 34, of Perris as a suspect, the sheriff’s office said.

Fernandez was found Dec. 9 at a home in the 20000 block of Souder Street in Perris, where investigators served a search warrant and took him into custody without incident, according to the sheriff’s office. The stolen equipment was not found at that address, authorities said.

Fernandez was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of grand theft and vehicle theft, the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators later recovered the stolen construction equipment at a residence in the 10000 block of Jurupa Road in Jurupa Valley and returned it to the victim, authorities said.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information was asked to contact Deputy Torres with the Lake Mathews Station Special Enforcement Team at 951-272-5600 or the sheriff’s dispatch at 951-776-1099.