Four Suspects Arrested in Wilshire Auto Burglaries NR10071rh

February 16, 2010

Los Angeles:  Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Wilshire Area officers caught four suspects who are believed to be responsible for multiple auto burglaries and receiving stolen property.

On February 4, 2010, at around 9 p.m., officers from Wilshire Division responded to a radio call of a vehicle that was burglarized in the 5500 block of Wilshire Boulevard.  Before officers arrived an alert resident of the apartment building worked in conjunction with the manager to check on a suspicious male seen in the apartment building.  A thorough check led to the discovery of a male on the property, who was not a resident.  The pair confronted the male and he climbed over a fence, ran to an awaiting car and drove away.  

Wilshire Auto Detectives conducted an investigation on the vehicle that the suspect drove away in.  Their investigation identified 26-year-old Thomas Jefferson Dizon, a resident of Panorama City, as the suspect who was responsible for burglarizing the vehicle on Wilshire Boulevard.  

On February 11, 2010, at around 6 p.m., Wilshire Special Problems Unit working in conjunction with Wilshire Auto Detectives looked for Dizon in the area of 3rd Street and New Hampshire Avenue.  The officers saw Dizon and three other persons in the same car that drove away from the 5500 block of Wilshire Boulevard days prior.  Dizon was taken into custody and the three other occupants were detained.  The other occupants were identified as Dizon’s wife, 21-year-old Catherine Diego, a resident of Panorama City, 18-year-old Jayson Delacruz, a resident of Los Angeles and 22-year-old Lawrence Abesia, a resident of Los Angeles.

A follow-up to a nearby motel where the suspects were residing led to the recovery of numerous items of suspected stolen property.  The items included personal checks of other persons, access cards, personal items such as travel bags, sunglasses and small electronics items such as iPods and GPS navigation systems.  

The detectives arrested Dizon and Delacruz for Auto Burglary, with bail amount of $20,000.  Diego and Abesia were arrested for Receiving Stolen Property, with bail amount of $20,000.

Auto Detectives have identified one item that was taken from an auto burglary in the Hollywood Area and are in the process of identifying the owners of the remaining items.  Based on information developed in this investigation, the suspects focused on property left in vehicles that could be utilized to commit credit card or check forgeries.  Detectives are advising the public to refrain from leaving any property that can be used to access one’s credit card or checking account in their vehicles.  Too many times, the victim’s become secondary victims of forgery, identity theft and fraud crimes when these type of items are left unsecured in their vehicles.

Wilshire Auto Detectives are requesting anyone with information about these crimes to contact detective Paul Quan or Michael Smith at 213-473-0556 or 213-922-8205.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.   Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages should begin with the letters "LAPD." Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.