Behind the Badge
Two Compton men are in custody and two others are being sought in connection to a series of commercial burglaries in Garden Grove and other cities involving the theft of thousands of California Lottery “Scratchers” tickets.
Garden Grove Police and L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies raided a home in Compton early Thursday, May 26 where they arrested Daniel Soto, 35, believed to be part of a crime ring responsible for seven burglaries – two in Garden Grove, one in Maywood and one in Whittier, GGPD Sgt. Ron Echavarria said.
Garden Grove PD officers and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies draw their weapons as they serve a search warrant on a house on Palmer Street in Compton early Thursday.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Once inside, police found a stolen cash register, a handgun, an ounce of methamphetamine plus lottery tickets scattered throughout the house, Echavarria said.
“They were just everywhere,” the sergeant said.
At least six people were living in the house, he said.
Another suspect, Emmanuel Quintero, was not home because he had been arrested a day earlier after an auto theft and pursuit in Fountain Valley, also involving Soto, police said.
Fountain Valley police had chased Soto, Quintero and a third suspect in a stolen van for five miles Wednesday when Soto, who was driving, crashed.
Daniel Soto. Photo courtesy of GGPD
Soto escaped, stealing another car and fleeing back to Compton, while Quintero was arrested and is in Orange County Jail, police said.
The car allegedly stolen by Soto was found parked down the street from the site of Thursday’s raid.
“This turned out to be bigger than any of us planned,” Echavarria said.
Soto and Quintero face charges of multiple counts of burglary, possession of stolen property and narcotics possession.
Two suspects who were not at house and are wanted in connection with the Garden Grove burglaries are Juan Carlos Meza, 35, of Wilmington and Augustin Gutierrez, 22, of Carson. Both are considered fugitives, Echavarria said.
Augustin Gutierrez. Photo courtesy of GGPD
Investigator believe the men are connected to burglaries of two Garden Grove liquor stores occurring in the early hours of May 16 and 24 in which several thousand Scratchers were taken.
The burglars were unsuccessful in their attempt to steal an ATM machine during the second burglary.
During their investigation, GGPD detectives Dennis Wardle, Jim Franks and Steve Lucas visited several 7-11 stores throughout Lynwood and Compton and looked at videos showing the same men cashing in Scratchers tickets at several locations.
Garden Grove officers, including Luis Payan, right, search a house in Compton May 26.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
“Those three detectives just spent hours going through video after video,” Echavarria said. “We knew it was the same group of guys.”
While on a stakeout at one of the stores, detectives spotted the white van they knew was used in one of the burglaries and followed it to a Compton house.
After staking out the house for a few days, the same group of men was seen coming and going.
The observations led to Thursday’s raid.
Stolen cash register recovered in Compton home, along with a handgun and an ounce of meth. Photo courtesy of GGPD
Read earlier story and see video of liquor store burglary in Garden Grove.
Anyone with information about Meza and Gutierrez is urged to call Det. Wardle at 714-741-5837 or contact OCCRIMESTOPPERS.ORG at 855-TIP-OCCS.
Garden Grove PD Officer Luis Payan leads two other officers as they check the neighborhood as they serve a warrant on a house on Palmer Street in Compton in connection to the state lottery “Scratchers” burglars. Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Emmanuel Quintero. Courtesy of GGPD
Juan Carlos Meza. Photo courtesy of GGPD
Garden Grove PD officers and L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies serve a warrant on a house on Palmer Street in Compton early May 26.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Stolen van believed to be involved in at least one of the burglaries. Photo courtesy of GGPD
Garden Grove PD officers and L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies serve a warrant on a house on Palmer Street in Compton. The occupants shown here are not arrested but being detained. Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Tow teather found in Compton home believed to be used in the liquor store burglaries. Photo courtesy of GGPD
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
