Janitor accused of stealing courthouse guns charged

A custodian accused of stealing guns from an evidencelocker and snatching other items belonging to personnel at the RiversideHistoric Courthouse was charged today with multiple counts of grand theft.

Matthew Anthony Warrick, 26, was arrested Tuesday after a RiversideCounty sheriff’s investigation into thefts at the downtown Riversidecourthouse, located at 4050 Main St., led to the recovery of alleged stolengoods at the defendant’s home.

Warrick is charged with three counts of grand theft and four misdemeanorcounts of petty theft.

The defendant, who’s being held in lieu of $50,000 bail at the SmithCorrectional Facility in Banning, was slated to make his initial courtappearance this afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Manning, Warrick came under suspicionduring a burglary investigation initiated last Tuesday after bailiffsdiscovered two firearms secured in an evidence locker at the HistoricCourthouse were missing.

Detectives were also informed that the personal effects of several courtemployees had been stolen, Manning said.

Following up on leads, investigators obtained and served a searchwarrant at Warrick’s residence in the 3500 block of 21st Street in SanBernardino.

“The warrant resulted in the recovery of both stolen firearms and athird firearm reported stolen from the city of Los Angeles,” Manning said.

Other property allegedly taken by the defendant was also seized,according to the sergeant, who said Warrick was arrested without incident.

According to sheriff’s officials, he is employed by Burbank-basedDiamond Contract Services Inc., with which the county court contracts forjanitorial work.