Crime & Safety

Claremont Police Arrests Two on Suspicion of Burglarizing Businesses

A Whittier and Chino man are in custody suspected of breaking into a Claremont Chevron gas station. Investigators say the two may also be involved in other local commercial burglaries.

Two men suspected burglarizing a Chevron gas station were taken into custody Friday, possibly as they prepared to burglarize another business, Claremont Police officials said.

Abraham Lopez, 35, of Whittier, and Benny Gutierrez, 38, of Chino, are in custody at the Claremont City Jail. Bail was set at $500,000 for each. The duo is also suspected in other commercial burglaries that have occurred at different Claremont businesses, wrote Lt. Jason Walters in a news release.

A Claremont Police officer spotted the men at 3:25 a.m. in front of a business in the 1300 block of North Towne Avenue, according to the news release. The official detained and searched them and found gloves, a hammer and a flashlight, Walters wrote.

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The suspects were already on active probation following convictions for burglary around Los Angeles County.

Police searched Lopez’ and Gutierrez’s home and found evidence linking them to the Chevron gas station burglaries and other recent commercial burglaries, officials said.

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Both men are scheduled to appear in Pomona Superior Court on April 30.

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