Two alleged burglars found themselves under arrest after a failed attempt to raid a Mountain Ranch property currently listed for sale. The Calaveras County Sheriff's Office reported on social media that the incident unfolded on Jesus Maria Road on the afternoon of July 26. Patrol deputies responded to a tip from a Good Samaritan who had blocked the suspects' vehicle from making a quick escape.
An encounter with the suspects, identified as Jeffrey Charles Darwin, 48, and Clint William Thompson, 49, suggested that they were there to clean the property on behalf of a realtor. However, their story quickly unraveled when one was caught speaking to a supposed realtor who could not answer basic property-related questions. The homeowner, present at the scene, confirmed that the men had entered the home, taking items and causing damages that included a broken doorknob and a damaged sliding glass door.
Upon searching the suspects, deputies found them to have unique memorabilia items, which they claimed to be theirs, along with additional suspected stolen goods in their vehicle. The homeowner was able to identify these items, including the memorabilia, as belonging to his daughter and from inside the home. Furthermore, tools commonly used in burglaries, such as sledgehammers and a crowbar, were found with the suspects.
The Calaveras County Sheriff's Office estimates repair costs for the damage to exceed $2,000, while the value of the recovered stolen goods is approximately $3,000. The deputies were able to quickly take both Darwin and Thompson into custody, subsequently charging them with crimes that included first-degree burglary, conspiracy, vandalism, and possession of burglary tools, according to the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office.
