Redlands Police investigate vehicle theft ring, armed robberies and canyon cable thefts

REDLANDS, Calif. — Redlands police are investigating multiple auto thefts, an armed robbery and a copper wire theft operation that has disrupted service along San Timoteo Canyon Road, according to the department’s weekly update released Thursday.

Multiple Stolen Vehicles Recovered from Barton Road Complex

On Wednesday morning, July 23, officers responded to a report of a stolen Hyundai at an apartment complex in the 1400 block of Barton Road. San Bernardino Police later recovered the vehicle and notified Redlands police. While investigating, officers found a previously stolen Kia parked next to the newly reported vehicle. Two additional vehicles—a Kia and another Hyundai—were also located nearby with signs of ignition tampering.

All four vehicles were recovered and returned to their owners. The thefts remain under investigation.

Armed Robberies and Gun Incident Reported

Redlands police responded to two separate gun-related incidents over the weekend.

Shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday, July 19, a man was robbed at gunpoint near Citrus Avenue and 5th Street. The victim told police the suspect struck him multiple times, then brandished a firearm and demanded his neck chain before fleeing toward the second story of the city parking structure. The victim lost sight of the suspect in a crowd.

The night before, police arrested a man who reportedly pulled a gun from his waistband, racked a round and yelled at a passerby near Citrus Avenue and Grove Street. Officers found a man matching the description and detained him. A 9mm round was found in his pocket and an empty holster was recovered nearby. Despite an extensive search with help from outside K-9 officers, the firearm was not located.

Canyon Cable Thefts Disrupt Communications

Verizon and Frontier have reported several thefts of copper communication cables along San Timoteo Canyon Road between Fern Avenue and Live Oak Canyon Road over the past two weeks. The ongoing thefts have caused thousands of dollars in damage and disrupted service to the area. Police are continuing to investigate.

DUI Crashes and Canyon Rescue

Police arrested multiple drivers for DUI in recent days, including one man who crashed his vehicle into a tree and a city street sign at Redlands Boulevard and Tennessee Street on Saturday evening, July 19. Officers were in the area when the crash occurred and took the suspect into custody after he attempted to flee on foot.

Another driver was arrested early Tuesday morning, July 22, after doing burnouts at Ford Street and South Avenue and getting his lowered truck stuck on a curb.

On Sunday morning, July 20, a man detoured onto Sunset Drive from Alessandro Road to avoid a canyon closure and, while looking at his phone for directions, drove off an embankment. His truck rolled multiple times before coming to rest upright 150 feet down the hillside. He and his two teenage daughters walked away with only minor injuries.

Lost Hikers Rescued in Live Oak Canyon

On Monday night, July 21, two hikers who became lost in Live Oak Canyon called 911 and were able to provide their GPS coordinates. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s helicopter, 40 King, located the pair, and three Redlands police officers hiked roughly a mile and a half to bring them safely back to the trailhead.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call Redlands Police Dispatch at (909) 798-7681, ext. 1. Non-emergency reports can be filed at www.cityofredlands.org/report-crime or through the City of Redlands 311 app.