Inland Empire couple arrested in High Desert on suspicion of felony retail theft

Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press
·2 min read
A Redlands woman and Upland man were arrested on suspicion of felony retail theft at various locations, including a Target store in Apple Valley.
A Redlands woman and Upland man were arrested on suspicion of felony retail theft at various locations, including a Target store in Apple Valley.

An Inland Empire couple was arrested on suspicion of felony retail theft at various locations, including a Target store in Apple Valley.

The Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station reported that at 4:23 p.m. on Aug. 24, Deputy Dare responded to a retail theft at the Target located in the 19000 block of Bear Valley Road.

A Target employee told the deputy that a man and woman entered the store. The woman then placed merchandise in her bag and exited the building. Both were seen leaving the location in a white Toyota Corolla.

At 5:16 p.m. on Monday, Deputy Dare responded to another report of a woman stealing merchandise in the 20000 block of Highway 18 in Apple Valley.

During the second incident, the woman matched the suspect’s description of the suspected theft at Target on Bear Valley Road.

Upon arrival, Dare contacted the suspect, who was identified as Britani Lorre PadieEsparza, 26, of Redlands. The male subject was identified as Brian Edward Pinon, 43, of Upland.

PadieEsparza was arrested at the scene, while Pinon was later located in Victorville, where he was arrested by deputies from the Victorville Sheriff’s Station.

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Deputy Dare linked PadieEsparza and Pinon to additional thefts that occurred between August 22 and 28. Those locations were not revealed.

PadieEsparza was booked into the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto on suspicion of felony retail theft. On Wednesday, she remained at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

PadieEsparza was also booked on three misdemeanor warrants. Her total bail amount was set at $80,000.

Pinon was booked into the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto on suspicion of felony retail theft, with bail set at $25,000.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked by the Sheriff’s Department to contact Deputy Dare at the Apple Valley Sheriff’s Station at 760-240-7400 or Sheriff’s Dispatch at 760-956-5001.

Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 800-78CRIME (27463) or leave the information on the We-Tip website at wetip.com.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Couple arrested in High Desert on suspicion of felony retail theft