Crime & Safety
Woman Accused Of Stealing $400K, Guns From Lake Elsinore Home
Authorities said they were notified of the alleged grand theft on Jan. 27.
LAKE ELSINORE, CA -- A Santa Clarita woman accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and precious metals from a Lake Elsinore homeowner was charged Wednesday with committing grand theft and other offenses.
Yelena Alexandrovna Kellum, 42, was booked Saturday into the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta, where she's being held in lieu of $399,000 bail.
Along with the grand theft count, Kellum is charged with burglary and misdemeanor theft, as well as several sentence-enhancing allegations of destruction of property. She's slated to make her initial court appearance this afternoon at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
According to Riverside County Sheriff's Sgt. Brett Seckinger, Kellum made off with a sizable stash of gold coins and bars, dollar bills and a semi- automatic handgun located inside a residence in the 15000 block of Orion Street, near Shore Breeze Street.
Deputies were alerted to the alleged theft on Jan. 27, when the resident, whose identity was not disclosed, attempted to commit suicide, apparently after discovering the valuables missing.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The man was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar for treatment and has since recovered, according to sheriff's officials.
Seckinger said the victim's relatives told investigators that nearly $400,000 in cash, $151,000 in precious metals and a gun had been stolen from the home.
According to the sergeant, investigators were given Kellum's name, and after gathering additional information, search warrants were obtained and served at the defendant's residence on Soledad Canyon Road in Santa Clarita, as well as at a storage unit leased under her name in the city.
Seckinger said most of the stolen property was recovered, with the exception of about $40,000 cash.
"Evidence was found showing Yelena Kellum was preparing to leave the country," Seckinger said, adding that several other potential suspects were identified.
Kellum has no prior documented felony convictions in Riverside County.
--City News Service/Photo via Shutterstock
