No charges were filed Friday against a 34-year-old man suspected of leading two youths on grab-and-run thefts that netted thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise, but investigators intended to resubmit the case to prosecutors for consideration.
Delwiun A. Bell of Los Angeles was arrested and booked into the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta Tuesday on suspicion of grand theft, organized retail theft and child endangerment.
Bell was being held on $300,000 bail, but jail records on Friday indicated the suspect’s bond requirement had been rescinded, suggesting he would be released from custody before the start of the weekend.
“We are working with the District Attorney’s Office on the case filing,” sheriff’s Sgt. Deirdre Vickers told City News Service.
She did not know whether the suspect might be “flash released” from custody and possibly re-booked on the same allegations before leaving the Murrieta jail.
Bell and two 16-year-old boys, identified only as Los Angeles residents, entered a store in the 18000 block of Collier Avenue, near Central Avenue, in Lake Elsinore just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, carrying large bags, according to the sheriff’s department.
Sgt. Robert Thomas alleged they “began stealing high-end merchandise” without interruption, though he did not specify exactly what the trio grabbed.
“The suspects fled the location in a red Hyundai Elantra,” Thomas said. “Deputies … located the vehicle traveling northbound on Interstate 15. Deputies conducted a vehicle stop, and the three subjects were detained.”
They were taken into custody without incident.
“Over $7,700 worth of merchandise was recovered from (Bell’s) vehicle,” the sergeant said. “It was discovered that the stolen items recovered were from the Lake Elsinore theft and a theft that had occurred in Eastvale earlier that day.”
Details regarding the first theft weren’t provided.
The teens were booked into Riverside Juvenile Hall on the same allegations for which Bell was jailed.
Background information on the suspects was unavailable.