Reedley duo found with 480 pounds of stolen grapes in Tulare County

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – Two people from Reedley were arrested after 480 pounds of Tinco variety red grapes were taken from a vineyard in Tulare County, according to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say around 8 a.m. on Tuesday AG Detectives were aware of a traffic stop on a Ford Explorer SUV at Avenue 384 and Road 56 in Kingsburg.

During the traffic stop, a deputy contacted the driver and passenger identified as 47-year-old Juan Benjamin Ventura and 57-year-old Dionicio Sandoval both from Reedley.

Deputies say they noticed the SUV had several hundred pounds of unpackaged grapes in the rear of the SUV.

AG Detectives responded and said the grapes were stolen from a field in the area of Ave 400 and Rd 84 in Tulare County. Detectives say they had been cut and stored at a location in the field the night before.

The next day, detectives said Ventura and Sandoval drove back to the field to retrieve the grapes. The grapes were identified as Tinco variety red grapes and were weighed at the scene and were valued at $700, which is a felony in California.

Ventura and Sandoval were booked on suspicion of Grand Theft, Possession of Stolen Property, Conspiracy, and providing false names to deputies. Unfortunately, the grapes had to be destroyed due to premature harvest and improper packaging.

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