Duo Charged In String Of Pasadena Burglaries

PASADENA, CA — Two men were charged Thursday with 10 counts of second- degree commercial burglary in connection with a string of burglaries earlier this month in Eagle Rock and northwest Pasadena.

The suspects, identified as Juan Manuel Morales, 19, and Kiyonte Levell Sowell, 18, both of Los Angeles, were detained on Friday by deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Compton Station. Deputies spotted them in a vehicle suspected of involvement in a commercial burglary on Jan. 5, according to Pasadena police Lt. John Luna.

A detective developed leads from a commercial burglary on Jan. 5 and had "issued an investigative felony stop on the vehicle," Luna said, adding that the suspects were held for further investigation.

Pasadena police responded and arrested the suspects, who were booked at the Pasadena city jail, Luna said.

Pasadena police Detective Kourtney Zilbert, working with Los Angeles Police Department detectives David Torres and Hector Salas connected the pair and a third suspect to the Jan. 5 burglaries, which occurred along Colorado Boulevard, Luna said.

Police released surveillance images of a third suspect who was being sought in connection with the case.

City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock