Wanted teen arrested in Morro Bay for burglary

June 28, 2021

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A 14-year-old boy from Lake County cut off his probation monitor, relocated to Morro Bay and committed a string of burglaries in San Luis Obispo County, according to the Morro Bay Police Department.

Law enforcement noticed an increase in vehicle burglaries at Montana De Oro State Park starting in mid-May. State Parks officials then secured surveillance footage of a vehicle associated with the burglaries and shared the information with local law enforcement, police said.

On June 17, an off-duty Morro Bay police officer located the burglary suspect’s vehicle in Morro Bay and reported it to on-duty officers and State Parks rangers. The following day, at about 6 p.m., Morro Bay officers and State Parks rangers contacted the suspect at an RV parked on Atascadero Road near Ironwood Avenue.

The police officers recognized the suspect from several burglary and fraudulent credit card use cases they had been working. During a search of the RV, officers found stolen property.

Officers arrested the juvenile for burglary, possession of stolen property, fraudulent use of a credit or debit card and having an outstanding warrant. Police booked the teen in San Luis Obispo County Juvenile Hall.

The juvenile was wanted in Lake County on a no-bail probation warrant. He had been staying in Morro Bay with friends and relatives, police said.

An investigation into the burglary spree is ongoing. Officers are asking anyone who has information about the case to call the Morro Bay Police Department at (805) 772-6225.