Puppy theft case had reached court
A Redlands resident reported the theft of a puppy on Oct. 8, and the dog was later recovered and returned to its owners, the San Bernardino Sun reported. The Sun said 40-year-old Anthony Thomas Wheat pleaded not guilty to grand theft by video at San Bernardino County Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga on Oct. 14.
Search connected Wheat to electronics case
Redlands police searched Wheat’s apartment in the 1100 block of Orange Street on Oct. 29 and recovered merchandise taken from RAS Electronics, according to KTLA. KTLA reported that police identified Wheat as the suspect in the store burglary and said he was also connected to the puppy case. Police had previously said Wheat asked about buying the dog, a 6-month-old female American Bully valued at $5,000 to $7,000.
The electronics investigation concerned a break-in at RAS Electronics, 1032 Orange St., on Oct. 21. KTLA reported that police estimated the stolen merchandise at $10,000 and that surveillance video showed a person entering through the roof and taking gaming consoles, cell phones and other electronics.
Three days later, a man who had left a phone for repair offered the store a gaming console to cover the repair cost, KTLA reported. An employee recognized the console as stolen, prompting investigators to identify Wheat as a suspect, according to the outlet. Wheat was arrested on burglary, grand theft and vandalism charges and held at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on $10,000 bail, KTLA reported. The article provided no further detail on the court status of the electronics charges.
