Weekend Crime Spree in Newport Beach Ends with Arrest of Aliso Viejo Man

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — The Newport Beach Police Department reminds all residents that if you see something, say something. That was proven on Friday, October 14.

"At 7:30 a.m., Newport Beach Police Officers responded to the 2600 block of Bungalow Place in response to multiple calls of a suspicious person in the area," Newport Beach Police information officer Jennifer Manzella said. "One caller reported that a man had approached a home which was under construction and repeatedly accessed a dumpster on the property. Other callers reported that the same man was seen entering several neighbors’ yards and peering into windows."

The responding officers located a man matching the subject’s description nearby in the 2500 block of Sea Lane.

"The subject was in possession of wire cutters and believed to be under the influence of methamphetamine," Manzella said. "Further investigation also revealed that there was an outstanding no-bail Parole Violation warrant for his arrest."

Cannon Timothy Torres, a 22-year-old resident of Aliso Viejo, was arrested for the warrant and narcotics charge and transported to the Newport Beach Jail for processing according to Newport Beach Police reports.

Still, NBPD continued to receive reports of suspicious and criminal activity in the area.

"A garage burglary was reported in the 1100 block of White Sails Way; the loss included a power tool, which was subsequently recovered from the dumpster that Torres accessed shortly before his arrest," Manzella said. "Several items were stolen from three unlocked vehicles in the 2800 and 2900 blocks of Setting Sun Drive and the 1200 block of Sandpoint Way; a number of these stolen items were recovered from Torres at the time of his arrest."

Several other theft incidents occurred during the same time frame and in close proximity to the crimes.

• A 2012 green Honda CR-V was stolen from the 1200 block of Sandpoint Way and located by officers outside of a nearby elementary school.
• The same school reported a burglary from their music room.
• Miscellaneous property was found abandoned in the 2800 block of Pebble Drive and the 1100 block of White Sails Way, including two car keys.
• A bicycle was stolen from a garage in the 2500 block of Bungalow Place and recovered in the 2600 block of the same street.
• Two handguns were found along with miscellaneous narcotics paraphernalia at the intersection of Harbor View Drive and Marguerite Avenue.

Officers were able to track the firearms to an unreported burglary in the 2700 block of Pebble Drive, according to Manzella.

"The Newport Beach Police Department extends our gratitude to each citizen who contacted our Dispatch Center to report this suspicious activity," she stated. "Thanks to that timely information, officers were able to locate and arrest Torres without incident."

After thorough investigations by field personnel, Torres is believed to be responsible for most, if not all, of the listed crimes.

"Detectives will continue to investigate these cases and intend to seek additional charges, including Possession of Burglary Tools, Possession of Stolen Property, Petty Theft from a Motor Vehicle, Residential Garage Burglary, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm," she said. "Given the number of incidents that occurred between Thursday evening and Friday morning, it is possible that there are other undiscovered or unreported crimes that took place before Torres was contacted by officers."

Citizens who live in the area who believe that they were the victim of a crime, or who has found unexplained property in their neighborhood, are asked to contact Detective Brian Schlottach at 949-644-3799 or bschlottach@nbpd.org.