Felon Arrested For Series Of East County Self-Storage Burglaries

SAN DIEGO, CA — A man was behind bars Tuesday for allegedly stealing valuables, including guns, during a trio of recent burglaries at an eastern San Diego County self-storage facility.

Troy Tatum Eberhart, 37, of Ramona was taken into custody Monday afternoon after deputies and members of a SWAT team served a warrant at his home in the 1800 block of El Cajon Lane, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

Eberhart is believed to have broken into and looted several rental garages over the previous 10 days at a public storage center in the 9600 block of Winter Gardens Boulevard in Lakeside, Lt. Shawn Wray said.

While searching the suspect's house, personnel allegedly seized a cache of more than two dozen firearms — including a rifle converted to operate as a machine gun — along with brass knuckles, illegal batons and a firearm silencer. They also confiscated more than 45 grams of methamphetamine, Wray said.

Eberhart was booked into county jail in Vista on suspicion of 14 criminal charges, including burglary, auto theft, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and numerous weapons violations, among them illegally carrying a loaded firearm in public and being a felon in possession of a gun.

He was being held on $322,000 bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

— City News Service