THERMAL: One arrested after SoCoVal CSD and R.A.I.D. task force locate six stolen vehicles
THERMAL — Officials from a multi-agency task force conducting a stolen vehicle investigation arrested a man after finding and recovering six stolen vehicles at a residence on the Torres-Martinez Indian Reservation, Friday, Mar. 23.
After their investigation Malcom Luis Morreo, 37, of Thermal, was arrested and later booked into Indio Jail on suspicion of possession of stolen property as well as two unrelated misdemeanor warrants.
R.A.I.D. Task Force members arrested Malcolm Morreo after discovering six stolen vehicles at his Thermal property. RSO booking photo
While conducting a stolen vehicle investigation Friday afternoon, deputies from the Southern Coachella Community Service District Team responded to the 66000 block of Martinez Road where they contacted Morreo, Riverside County Sheriff’s Sergeant Sean Brown explained in a press release.
During their investigation SoCoVal CSD deputies found the vehicle they were searching for, as well as two additional stolen vehicles. Based on their findings, members from the Riverside Auto-theft Interdiction Detail responded to the rural property and assumed the investigation.
R.A.I.D. is a multi-agency auto-theft task force comprised of law enforcement personnel from the California Highway Patrol, Riverside Sheriff’s Department, Riverside Police Department, Cathedral City Police Department, Murrieta Police Department, Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, National Insurance Crime Bureau, and the Department of Insurance.
Shortly before 7:30 p.m., R.A.I.D. members served a search warrant at the property and discovered a stolen 2008 Suzuki street bike and two mini-bikes that had been stolen during a recent residential burglary in Coachella, according to Brown.
“A total of six stolen vehicles were recovered from the property,” said Brown.
An online jail records search revealed Morreo remains in custody, held on $40,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned at Indio’s Larson Justice Center, Mar. 28.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Deputy Grasso at (951) 955-2770. Callers can refer to incident file numbers C180820024 and/or ZE180810001 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.
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Trevor Montgomery, 46, recently moved to Shasta County from Riverside County and 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.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 27 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 14 grandchildren.