Deputies interrupt commercial burglary in east Sonoma

Pair booked into county jail on numerous charges|

A Sonoma couple was arrested early Tuesday morning in connection with a commercial burglary on Eighth Street East.

At around 2 a.m., a deputy on patrol noticed a Nissan Altima backed into the driveway of The Rental Place in the 21500 block of Eighth Street East. The deputy noticed there was a sun shade placed in the front windshield which the deputy found odd given the time of day and positioning of the car

According to a release from Sgt. Spencer Crum with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, the deputy called for backup and several other deputies responded. The deputies walked the fence line of the business and heard a commotion coming from a shed on the property.

They saw a person, later identified as 30-year-old Sonoma resident Vicente Valencia going through a fence on the opposite end of the property pulling a piece of equipment behind him back toward the Altima

As Valencia got to the vehicle, deputies confronted him and took him into custody without incident. They also arrested his girlfriend who was waiting in the driver’s seat of the car. She was identified as 31-year-old Michelle Castorena from Sonoma.

Crum said the item Valencia was pulling was a $600 power washer stolen from The Rental Place. The deputies also found several tools in his pocket that were used as burglar tools to pry an opening in the chain link fence and remove a hinge from the shed to gain entry.

Both Valencia and Castorena were transported and booked into the Sonoma County Jail on charges of burglary, possession of burglary tools and conspiracy. Valencia was also charged with a probation violation from a previous drug case.

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