Pomona Man Accused of Torching Stolen Car in Hesperia Break-In Spree

A 34-year-old Pomona man is accused of breaking into three homes and three vehicles during a chaotic burglary and auto theft spree in a Hesperia-area neighborhood, then setting one of the stolen cars on fire before deputies caught up with him. San Bernardino County Sheriff's officials say Denzel Thompson was arrested after running from deputies who responded to reports of a man trying to break into houses and vehicles.

According to the Victorville Daily Press, the department received reports of the break-ins around 5:15 p.m. in the 8200 block of Anaconda Avenue, an unincorporated area near Hesperia. Deputies identified Thompson as the man attempting to break into nearby homes and vehicles, and he was taken into custody after fleeing on foot, the outlet reports. The Sheriff's Department provides law enforcement for the city of Hesperia under a contract arrangement maintained since 1988.

Three Homes, Three Vehicles, One Torched Car

Investigators say Thompson broke into three residences and three separate vehicles during the spree, and is accused of stealing two of those vehicles outright. Deputies later found one of the stolen cars had been set on fire in the neighborhood, according to the same report. Both stolen vehicles were eventually recovered, including the one that had been torched.

Thompson was arrested on suspicion of burglary, vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, evading police, and resisting or obstructing police, per county booking records cited in the report. No further details on the case were immediately available.

What the Charges Could Mean

Under California Penal Code Sections 459 and 460, breaking into an occupied home with intent to commit theft is classified as first-degree residential burglary, which is always charged as a felony and carries a potential state prison sentence of two, four, or six years, according to the Kann California Law Group. Residential burglary also counts as a strike offense under California's Three Strikes Law.

Setting a stolen vehicle ablaze can elevate a case well beyond simple auto theft. Per Eisner Gorin LLP, California Penal Code Section 451 makes it a felony, with penalties varying by the type of property and circumstances. Malicious arson of personal property carries up to three years in state prison, while arson causing great bodily injury can carry up to nine years. Separately, willfully resisting, delaying, or obstructing a peace officer is a misdemeanor under Penal Code Section 148(a)(1), carrying up to a year in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000, as outlined by the Shouse Law Group; physical force isn't required for the act to qualify as resisting or delaying an officer.

A Region Still Wrestling With Property Crime

Suspects arrested by sheriff's deputies in the High Desert are typically booked into the High Desert Detention Center, a Type II facility that opened in January 2006 and houses over 2,100 pre-trial and sentenced inmates. The case adds to a stubborn property crime picture across the Inland Empire. San Bernardino and Riverside counties logged 10,603 burglaries in 2025, with residential break-ins making up about 40.6% of that total alongside 11,516 motor vehicle thefts, according to Guardian National Security.

San Bernardino County's property crime rate decreased 14.9% between 2023 and 2024, per the county's Community Indicators project, even though overall Part I crime remained 3% below 2020 levels. That local uptick stands in contrast to statewide trends: California's property crime rate fell 9.9% in 2024 to its lowest level since 1985, with burglaries down 11.8% and auto thefts down 16.7% year-over-year, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

It remains unclear whether Thompson acted alone or had any connection to broader theft activity in the High Desert. Web-search results mention three Hesperia arrests on March 9, 2025, and indicate that GPS tracking led deputies to an Apple Valley address.