JURUPA VALLEY: Man, 70, holds burglar at gunpoint for deputies

JURUPA VALLEY — Officials have credited the Friday, Dec. 8 arrest of an alleged burglary suspect to the fast actions of a 70-year-old man who held the burglar at gunpoint after catching him breaking into his Jurupa Valley residence. The incident and arrest happened on the 5300 Block of Riverview Drive in Jurupa Valley.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Jurupa Valley Police Station responded to the victim’s home about 2:43 p.m., after a 63-year-old woman called 911 to report that her 70-year-old husband was holding a suspected burglar at gunpoint outside the couple’s residence, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Mike Portillo explained after the incident and arrest.

Deputies arrived at the home within four minutes of the dispatched call and found the elderly burglary victim holding a man at gunpoint. Deputies later identified the burglary suspect as Jose Rodriguez, 34, of San Bernardino.

Deputies found Rodriguez was in possession of burglary tools, including a window break tool and a crowbar.

After their investigation, deputies arrested Rodriguez and he was later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of burglary, possession of burglary tools.

H was also booked for an outstanding arrest warrant for theft, possession of a controlled substance and possession of alcohol on school grounds.

During their investigation, deputies learned the elderly man confronted Rodriguez outside his residence with a “legally owned firearm” after he and his wife heard what he believed were the sounds of “someone breaking into their home,” said Portillo.

When the victim walked outside to investigate, “he found a suspect who was armed with a crowbar, trying to break inside their home,” Portillo explained. “The 70-year-old victim held the burglar at gunpoint until deputies arrived.”

An online jail records search revealed Rodriguez remains in custody. Although his bail for this incident and arrest was $35,000, he remains held on $75,000 bail, related to his arrest warrant. He is scheduled to be arraigned at the Riverside Hall Of Justice, Dec. 12.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Deputy Hughes or Deputy Angeles at (951) 955-2600. Callers can refer to incident file number JV173420020 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.