3 Arrested After Organized Retail Theft In Palm Desert

PALM DESERT, CA — Three men were behind bars Wednesday on suspicion of burglarizing about $10,000 worth of high-end items from a Palm Desert business.

Arturo Sanchez, 40, of Indio and 30-year-olds Saliba Deeb of Palm Desert and Mariano Flores of Indio were arrested Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of organized retail theft, possession of stolen property, evading and conspiracy, according to Sgt. Jeff Cryder of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Cryder said deputies from the Palm Desert sheriff's station responded at 4:05 p.m. Tuesday to a report of the grand theft at a business in the 72300 block of Highway 111.

Two men are suspected of entering the business, placing several items into shopping bags and exiting without paying, according to Cryder. They then fled in a white sedan driven by a third suspect.

After deputies from the Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage Special Enforcement Teams responded to the scene, they found the suspect vehicle and arrested the three suspects after a short pursuit, Cryder said. The stolen items from the business were subsequently recovered from inside the suspect vehicle, he added.

Flores, Sanchez and Deeb were booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, where they all remain behind bars, according to inmate records. Flores and Sanchez remain held on $10,000 bail bonds while Deeb was being held on a $50,000 bail bond.

Anyone with information on the alleged theft was asked to call Deputy Robles with the Palm Desert sheriff's station at 760-836-1600.