A 65-year-old man suspected of fencing stolen circuit breakers that he acquired from thieves who targeted housing developments throughout the Temecula Valley was out of custody Thursday.
Eugene Gino Popa of Perris was arrested and booked into the Byrd Detention Center last week on suspicion of receiving stolen property.
Popa posted a $10,000 bond and was released from the Murrieta jail on July 17.
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According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the suspect came under investigation while deputies from the sheriff's Burglary Suppression Team were gathering evidence tied to a rash of thefts during which the bandits extracted circuit breaker units from multiple newly constructed residences, and a few businesses, in and around Temecula.
"After several months of following investigative leads, the team identified a suspect who was involved in a fencing operation of the stolen circuit breakers," sheriff's Sgt. Josh Hephner said.
Fencing involves a party acquiring known stolen property and selling it at a profit.
"Investigators learned Popa was purchasing stolen circuit breakers on a regular basis from suspects," Hephner said. "The investigation revealed Popa also owned a business selling circuit breakers, primarily through e- commerce."
A search warrant was procured and served at the suspect's residence in the 22800 block of Cougar Street, as well as another property in the 11600 block of Sterling Avenue in Riverside.
Hephner alleged that the searches uncovered "thousands of stolen circuit breakers and other items of evidentiary value."
Popa was taken into custody without incident.
The parties allegedly responsible for the thefts were not identified, and it was unclear whether any of them had been arrested.
Background information on Popa was unavailable.
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