Hemet men arrested after caught burglarizing Murrieta vehicles

MURRIETA, Calif. — Authorities say three Hemet residents were arrested in Murrieta after a quick-thinking resident spotted what appeared to be a vehicle burglary in progress early Saturday morning, Feb. 6. The citizen then called 911 to report the suspicious circumstances they were witnessing.

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The incident that led to the arrests began when the “observant citizen” witnessed a vehicle burglary in progress on Crowned Partridge Lane, southwest of Clinton Keith and California Oaks roads, and immediately called Murrieta Police Dispatch, Murrieta PD has since said of the investigation and arrests.

“Several officers responded and quickly located the suspect vehicle and three males nearby,” said Murrieta PD.

Three Hemet men were arrested for vehicle burglary and other charges after an “observant citizen” spotted suspicious activity happening in a Murrieta residential neighborhood and called 911. Murrieta PD booking photos.

Officers detained the three men, since identified as Jason Carl Hopkins, 41, Ian Shane James, 35, and Jacob Bufford Lessley, 41, and conducted a records check on the trio.

Through their records check, investigating officers learned that Hopkins was on Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS) probation for possession of a stolen vehicle. The check also revealed that Ian James was on two separate formal probations, both for being in possession of a stolen vehicle.

During a subsequent search of the black pickup truck the three men had been driving officers discovered “numerous items that appeared to have been recently stolen, most likely from other nearby Murrieta residents,” said MPD.

“While the officers were investigating the vehicle burglaries that had just occurred, they also discovered that Ian James had attempted to steal a vehicle in the same neighborhood,” MPD continued.

Officials impounded the trio’s truck as evidence in their ongoing investigation. Murrieta PD photo

Based on their investigation officers arrested all three men, who were later booked into Cois Byrd Detention Center on multiple charges related to the incident. Additionally, the truck the men had been in was impounded and booked as evidence to the alleged crimes.

Online jail records indicate Hopkins was booked on suspicion of possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit a crime, a prior prison enhancement, and violation of Post Release Community Supervision probation. He remains in custody and is being held without bail.

James was booked on suspicion of possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit a crime, vehicle burglary, attempted vehicle theft, and violation of probation. He was released within hours of his arrest and is scheduled to be arraigned at Murrieta’s Southwest Justice Center on June 23.

Lessley was booked on suspicion of possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen property, and conspiracy to commit a crime. He was also released within hours of his arrest and is scheduled to be arraigned at Murrieta’s Southwest Justice Center on June 10.

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As their investigation continued, officers conducted a probation search of Hopkins’ Hemet residence, per the terms of his PRCS probation.

During that search, officers located stolen mail, stolen checks, and a stolen license plate; and additional charges related to that search are pending.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact Murrieta PD at (951) 304-2677. Callers can refer to incident file number MR21-0727 and can remain anonymous.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 49, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).

Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County-based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.

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. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s 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 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.