Months Long Wine Country Burglary Spree Ends With 2nd Arrest

TEMECULA, CA — Investigators believe they have two men in custody behind a string of destructive early morning burglaries that has kept Temecula Valley Wine Country businesses on edge since June. The destructive burglaries caused an estimated $400,000 in property damage, according to the district attorney’s office.

Multiple wineries, a brewery, a restaurant, golf courses and a gymnastics studio were struck during the three-month-crime spree. Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said Friday they suspect the men planned and executed similar burglaries in San Diego County and Orange County.

On Thursday, Walter Perry, 36 of Temecula, was taken into custody in Anaheim near Knott and Lincoln avenues and placed under arrest in connection with the multiple burglaries, according to Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Frank Tiburzio.

Perry was transferred to the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta where he is being held on $250,000 bail. Tyler James Goulet, 32 of Temecula, was arrested Saturday and arraigned Wednesday on 11 counts of felony burglary. Goulet pleaded not guilty to those charges, according to Riverside County District Attorney spokesperson, John Hall.

Since June, over 11 wineries, golf courses and businesses across Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties, were burglarized in the early morning hours according to Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Frank TIburzio. A tally of what was taken has not yet been released.

Court records obtained by Patch show the pair now faces 11 felony counts of burglary in connection with the ransacking of Temecula’s Iron Fire Brewing Company, Avensole Winery, Legends Golf Course, Bailey Winery, Leoness Winery, Wilson Creek Winery, Rodrigo's Mexican Grill, Miles of Smiles, the De Luz Cross Creek Golf Course, and Murrieta’s Intensity Athletics gymnastics studio.

Security cameras captured one suspect in the act on July 11 at Leoness Winery. Footage shows a suspect standing near a safe wearing a hooded jacket with a large embroidered design on the back. A spokesperson from Leoness declined to comment on the break-in.

Southwest Sheriff’s Station deputies launched a large-scale investigation that led officials to seek out Goulet, and ultimately capture Perry as well.

On Saturday, following Goulet’s arrest, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Special Investigation Bureau Investigators served a search warrant at his home in the 35000 block of Colt Drive in unincorporated Temecula Wine Country. There, they found numerous items of evidence that linked both Goulet and Perry to the burglaries, according to Tiburzio.

What was taken from each property was not disclosed, however, each burglary was “carried out with planning, sophistication and professionalism,” according to the amended court filing.

Charges related to the San Diego burglaries and Orange County burglaries have not yet been filed. Perry is scheduled to appear in court Thursday at the Murrieta Southwest Justice Center, where he will be joined by Goulet, set to appear again regarding an adjustment of bail.

“We believe these two people are mainly responsible for any type of winery and golf course burglary in Temecula Valley Wine Country,” Tiburzio said. “The most recent string of wine country burglaries has likely ended.”