Traffic Stop Leads To Arrest In Theft Of $30,000 Bottle Of Wine

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — A 46-year-old man with a lengthy criminal history for thefts faces charges of stealing expensive wine -- including a bottle worth $30,000 -- from a market in Santa Ana, police said Wednesday.

Robert Henry Blalock Jr., who was arrested Thursday during a traffic stop in Westminster, was charged March 3 with multiple felonies for break-ins in Santa Ana and Huntington Beach, according to court records.

In Huntington Beach, Blalock is accused of burglarizing Moore's Sewing at 15041 W. Goldenwest St., on Nov. 24 and Dec. 26, according to Officer Jennifer Marlatt. In both burglaries he allegedly took high-end sewing machines, Marlatt said.

A Westminster police officer's traffic stop led to a search warrant issued for the defendant's home, where a bottle of wine worth $2,400 was found, according to Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

In a May 28 burglary at the Wine Exchange at 1544 E. Warner Ave., Blalock took a 2007 vintage of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti worth $30,000, Bertagna said. He also allegedly got away with another bottle of wine worth $3,000, a bottle of Champagne Boerl & Kroff Brut Rose Magnum worth $5,500, and 13 bottles of wine worth $220 apiece, Bertagna added.

In a June 29 burglary at the same store he took two bottles worth nearly $9,000, Bertagna said.

When he allegedly tried to steal from the store again he broke a window, which triggered an alarm and he ran away without any loot, Bertagna said.

In the five cases, Blalock is charged with four counts of burglary, three counts of grand theft, two counts of vandalism, a count of receiving stolen property, all felonies, as well as a misdemeanor count of possession of burglary tools, according to court records.

He also faces a sentencing enhancement of committing a crime while released from custody on another case.

Blalock also faces sentencing enhancement allegations for prior convictions, according to court records.

He was charged in a separate case on Oct. 22 of theft with a prior conviction for car theft, buying or receiving a stolen vehicle or equipment with a prior felony conviction and faces sentencing enhancing allegations of committing a crime while on bail for another case, according to court records.

In another pending case from February of last year, Blalock is charged with two counts of possession of drugs with an intent to sell and a count of possession for sale of drugs, all felonies.

Blalock pleaded guilty to burglary March 6, 2012, and was ultimately sentenced to 16 months in jail for violating terms of probation following his release, according to court records.

He pleaded guilty to burglary, a felony, and a misdemeanor count of possession of burglary tools, on June 12, 2009, and was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

On July 23, 2007, Blalock pleaded guilty to grand theft auto, car theft, and buying or receiving a stolen vehicle or equipment, all felonies, as well as a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest, according to court records. For that case he was placed on three years of probation and sentenced to a year in jail, according to court records.

Blalock, who was being held on $485,000 bail, was ordered to return to court on Tuesday.

City News Service; Photo by Camw via Wikimedia Commons