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Kings deputies arrest three suspects in vehicle burglary
Its occupants got out and began rummaging through the truck. Other workers spotted the theft and started yelling at the suspects. The suspects returned to the Kia and drove away.
The victim told deputies that several personal items were missing from his truck.
A deputy spotted the Kia in the area and conducted an investigative traffic stop. Three suspects were detained, and as the investigation continued, deputies located several items in the vehicle belonging to the victim. Deputies identified the driver as Margret Witzig, 30, and the passengers were identified as Rebecca Hobbs, 32, and Santiago Ramirez, 28. Additionally, the suspects' shoe treads matched the shoe impressions left at the theft scene.
Deputies searched the suspects and the Kia and located a long list of items that revealed significant criminal activity had been taking place. Found in the search were over 50 credit cards, numerous checks, blank checks, personal documents of various people, burglary tools including shaved keys, brass knuckles, a window punch, and over five ounces of Methamphetamine.
Authorities located a dozen credit cards issued under the names of a husband and wife from Southern California. Deputies contacted the female, and she informed them she had recently been on the phone with several banks trying to determine how credit cards were being opened in her and her late husband's name. It was determined a home owned by the family in Kern County had been burglarized, which resulted in the stolen credit cards.
Deputies booked Ramirez, Hobbs, and Witzig into Kings County Jail on the charges of transportation of a controlled substance, sales of a controlled substance, possession of fictitious instruments, felony theft, identity theft, mail theft, possession of burglar tools, and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Deputies also charged Witzig with bringing contraband into the Kings County Jail. Santiago Ramirez had a prior conviction of a serious and violent felony, was on active CDC parole, and was charged with a parole violation. Witzig's bail was set at $70,000. Hobbs's bail was set at $105,000, and Ramirez's bail was set at $80,000.
