Redlands Police arrest storage theft suspect, investigate shooting and drug-related incidents

REDLANDS, Calif. — Redlands police made several arrests and launched multiple investigations this past week, responding to thefts, drug-related incidents, a shooting and a slow-speed pursuit that ended with the recovery of a loaded ghost gun.

Man Caught Breaking Into Storage Units

Officers responded to CubeSmart Storage in the 1600 block of West Redlands Boulevard on Sunday morning, April 20, after an employee reported seeing a man pick the locks on several storage units. Police located the suspect as he was closing one of the unit doors.

The man, who is on probation for vandalism and has a history of burglary and theft charges, was detained. Officers found property from multiple units in his possession, along with lockpicking tools and a removed lock. Additional stolen items were recovered from his truck, which had paper license plates attached with hook-and-loop fasteners to conceal its real tags. The suspect was arrested and his vehicle impounded.

Shooting Investigations Underway

Redlands police are investigating two separate shooting incidents from the weekend.

Late Thursday night, April 17, officers responded to multiple calls reporting a person shot near Orange Street and Lugonia Avenue. They found a 16-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the leg and a broken bone. The teen told police he was followed and then shot by an unknown suspect. A large crowd was present, but no witnesses came forward, and police could not locate a crime scene.

Early Sunday morning, April 20, a man arrived at Redlands Community Hospital with a gunshot wound to his foot. He told police he was attempting to break up a fight in a parking lot near Redlands Boulevard between 5th and 6th streets when someone fired a gun. Officers located a crime scene and are continuing to investigate.

Drug Arrests and Pursuit

Around 2 a.m. Friday, April 18, police attempted to stop a vehicle leaving the parking lot of a shopping center on West Redlands Boulevard. Officers observed narcotics being tossed from the window before the car fled. The slow-speed pursuit covered 26 miles, ending on the 210 Freeway in Rialto after the California Highway Patrol deployed a spike strip.

During the chase, the driver threw a loaded ghost gun from the vehicle. With assistance from the CHP and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s helicopter, the driver was arrested and the gun recovered.

Later that night, police were called to the Jack in the Box at 2052 W. Redlands Blvd., where a driver was found asleep in the drive-thru lane. Officers discovered cocaine in the woman’s purse, along with additional drugs, a digital scale, plastic baggies, and thousands of dollars in cash inside the vehicle. She was arrested on suspicion of drug sales.

Residential and Vehicle Crimes

Police are also investigating a burglary that occurred in the early morning hours of April 20 at a home in the 1500 block of Elizabeth Street. A resident reported that a suspect dressed in all black entered through an unlocked door while he was sleeping and stole a tablet and cash. Surveillance footage confirmed the break-in.

On Friday evening, April 18, officers attempted to stop a stolen vehicle near Brockton Avenue and New York Street. The driver fled on foot into a home on Glenn Court, where police learned he was hiding in the attic. After several announcements and a phone call from a family member, the man agreed to come out but said he was stuck. Officers helped him down and took him into custody.

On Thursday night, April 17, a man was arrested after crashing his vehicle into a business near Citrus and Olive avenues. He was detained nearby after attempting to walk away from the scene and was identified by witnesses.

Redlands police ask anyone with information about these incidents to contact dispatch at (909) 798-7681, ext. 1. Non-emergency crimes can be reported online at www.cityofredlands.org/report-crime or through the City of Redlands 311 mobile app.