COVINA — Information continued to emerge Wednesday in the case of an alleged burglary ring that used police scanners and targeted victims including public officials in at least 20 residential burglaries in Covina, San Dimas and Glendora.
Only two of the five suspects arrested last week in connection with the investigation are suspected of being being connected to the break-ins, authorities clarified Wednesday.
Thomas Dandurand, 32, of Pomona, was charged Tuesday with five counts of residential burglary and one count of receiving stolen property, police said.
His common-law wife, Susana Chaidez, 28, of Pomona, was charged with possession of stolen property and has since been released on bail, according to police.
In police searches carried out during the investigation, investigators recovered allegedly stolen property, as well a list of what police described as potential victims. The list included names, addresses, home photographs and work information for for people including a judge and several public officials.
In addition to valuables, items that were not worth money, but “very sentimental,” Marquez said. Such items included non-precious jewelry and family heirlooms.
In one of the crimes, a couple in their 80s had their home ransacked after the husband suffered a heart attack and both went to a hospital in an ambulance, Marquez said.
Police said it was unclear if the burglars used their police scanner to determine the home had been left vacant due to the medical emergency.
Among the items stolen were a prized silverware set that had belonged to the woman’s grandmother, and a Luger pistol the elderly man had taken as a war trophy in Germany during World War II, officials said.
The silverware set was recovered following the arrests of Thomas Dandurand and Chaidez, Marquez added.
During the arrests, authorities recovered a list of what they are calling potential victims. The list, found in a suspect’s home, includes names, addresses, pictures of houses and employment information for potential victims, including the information of a judge and multiple public officials.
Three other suspects were arrested during the investigation, but have not been linked to the burglaries, Sgt. Ray Marquez said.
Henry Arce, 21, of Baldwin Park was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, however his attorney, Justin Rodriguez, as well as Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said Wednesday the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor count of driving without a valid license.
Thomas Arce, 42, of Baldwin Park, was arrested on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine.
Phillip Gordon Dandurand, 18, of Pomona was initially arrested on suspicion of assisting in the burglaries, however the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office declined to file charges against him due to insufficient evidence, police said.
Police are continuing to seek another suspect, 27-year-old Anthony Ray Arce of Baldwin Park, on suspicion of assisting Thomas Dandurand and Susana Chaidez in the break-ins, Marquez said.