Armed Convict Caught Burglarizing La Cresta Home: Sheriff's Department

MURRIETA, CA — A new La Cresta homeowner was in the process of moving in Thursday but discovered a stranger had slipped inside the property, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department reported.

Alfredo Hernandez, 43, of Wildomar was found by the homeowner around 11 a.m. inside the vacant residence in the 21000 block of Camino Arriba, according to the sheriff's department.

A call to the law enforcement agency led to multiple patrol cars and a sheriff's helicopter descending onto the hilltop property in the rural neighborhood just outside Murrieta city limits.

Deputies detained Hernandez and found four firearms and ammunition belonging to him, according to the sheriff's department.

As part of the investigation into the incident, deputies served a search warrant at a residence in the 21000 block of Wild Stallion Lane in Wildomar and found four more guns and ammunition that belonged to Hernandez, who is a convicted felon, the department reported.

Hernandez was booked into Murrieta's Cois Byrd Detention Center on suspicion of burglary, vandalism, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, convicted felon in possession of ammunition, committing a felony while on bail, and possession of a high-capacity magazine, according to jail records. He is due in court Monday.

Court records were not immediately available.