Full Notification

DATE/TIME: May 4, 2022, 1:23 p.m.   

INCIDENT: Vehicle Burglaries

LOCATION: Cedar Avenue, 4th Street, and 3rd Street in Yucaipa, CA 

SUSPECT(S): William Locke, 22-year-old resident of Desert Hot Springs
                         Justin Porter, 22-year-old resident of Desert Hot Springs

VICTIM(S): Numerous Yucaipa residents


SUMMARY: On Friday, April 29, 2022, at approximately 6:06 a.m., a victim discovered her 2020 Kia Telluride was burglarized overnight on Cedar Avenue. Her purse and wallet were stolen. She received a notice from her bank of attempted transactions at two gas stations. Deputies Nicholas Silva and William Ziemer conducted an investigation. Several additional victims discovered their vehicles were burglarized in various mobile home parks on 2nd Street and 4th Street.  

Deputies used the city surveillance cameras, automated license plate readers, and store surveillance video to search for suspects. The footage revealed the suspects to be two males and a female in a 2020 white Nissan Altima. Both male suspects had distinctive tattoos. The tattoos helped confirm the driver and registered owner of the Nissan, William Locke, as the primary suspect. Locke is a 22-year-old resident of Desert Hot Springs and recently released on bail from Riverside County Jail. The second suspect was identified through photographs as Justin Porter, also a 22-year-old resident of Desert Hot Springs. Yucaipa city cameras captured the Nissan entering and leaving Yucaipa from Interstate 10, in the early morning hours. 

Ziemer authored an arrest warrant for Locke and coordinated with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. On Tuesday, May 3, 2022, Riverside deputies located Locke's Nissan in a hotel parking lot in Desert Hot Springs. They surveilled the vehicle and arrested Locke as he emerged from a hotel room. 

A search of the hotel room and the Nissan yielded a large bag of stolen belongings from victims in Yucaipa, burglary tools, ammunition, and silencers. Locke was booked into Riverside County Jail on felony weapon violations and the burglary warrant. 

On Wednesday, May 4, 2022, Riverside deputies arrested Justin Porter in Desert Hot Springs for the vehicle burglaries. 

Authorities are seeking any additional victims of unreported thefts from vehicles that occurred in Yucaipa on Friday, April 29, between 2:00 am and 6:00 am. 

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Deputy Ziemer at the Yucaipa Police Department, at (909) 918-2005. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com. 

Refer: Deputy William Ziemer

Station: Yucaipa Police Department

Phone No. (909) 918-2305

Case No. 142201376, 142201377, and 142201377

SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department