Mecca, CA was the site of a notable train cargo theft bust on Wednesday morning, as Riverside County Sheriff's deputies responded swiftly to a reported burglary in progress, according to information released by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. The incident, which played out near Hammond Road and Johnson Street on the outskirts of the small unincorporated area, saw law enforcement tailing two suspects observed loading stolen goods into a vehicle that was identified as stolen. The action unfolded when Sheriff’s Aviation support pinpointed the suspects' location, triggering a chase that ended with deputies apprehending one of the individuals involved.

Sergeant Nicole Wilhite indicated that the office's Aviation unit was essential in tracking down the suspects, who ditched the vehicle near Johnson Street and Avenue 62 in Mecca and then took off on foot attempting multiple routes to dodge the deputies but it was the eye in the sky that kept the pursuit hot. The first suspect was identified as 19-year-old Fabian Galvez-Espinoza, a resident who has now found himself charged with a slew of offenses including burglary, possession of stolen property, grand theft, resisting arrest, and conspiracy. All this before being booked into the John Benoit Detention Center, while investigators remain on the lookout for the second suspect who remains at large.

With the driver nabbed, all stolen merchandise was recovered, delivering a blow to what could potentially be a wider theft operation. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office has encouraged the community to come forward with any details that could lead to the identification and capture of the second individual, urging witnesses or those in the know to reach out via the Thermal Sheriff’s Station at (760) 863-8990; anonymous tips are also being accepted through Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP (7867).

For those seeking additional information regarding this incident, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office points to their Media Information Bureau, the statement, "For media inquiries regarding this incident, please contact the Media Information Bureau." ensures that journalists and members of the public have a designated route for communications, ensuring that updates and clarifications can flow through official channels to inform the community of Mecca as the case progresses.