Sonoma County Home Owned By Elderly Couple Since 1940s Burglarized, Ransacked

A west Sonoma County resident was arrested Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of taking Star Wars collectible items during a burglary of a home in the unincorporated Rio Nido area, a sheriff’s sergeant said.

The elderly couple who have lived in the home since the 1940s found broken windows and a damaged door when they arrived home, Sgt. Cecile Focha said. Every room in the house was ransacked and all the rooms were in disarray, Focha said.

Food and empty bottles of alcoholic beverages were scattered on the floor and almost everything of monetary and sentimental value was missing, including unopened Star Wars collectibles, Focha said.

When sheriff’s detectives arrived around 3:10 p.m. and canvassed the neighborhood, they noticed an empty Star Wars box in front of the Rio Nido Road home of Dennis Hickox, 42, who lives near the victims’ house, Focha said.

Detectives contacted Hickox and searched his home where they discovered most of the stolen items that also included furniture, paintings, clothing, records and throw rugs, Focha said.

Hickox was cooperative and helped recover the stolen items, which were inventoried, photographed and returned to the victims, Focha said.

Hickox was booked in the Sonoma County Jail for residential burglary and possession of stolen property.

He is scheduled to be arraigned in Sonoma County Superior Court Thursday afternoon.