Three accused of robberies in Cathedral City due in court

Three men suspected in connection with severalburglaries in Cathedral City — including one in which they were allegedlycaught in the act by a teenage resident — were expected in court today.

Cristian Ramirez-Jaramillo, 18, of Cathedral City; Armando Rosales, 20,of Palm Springs; and Ernesto Placencia, 18, of Thousand Palms were arrestedabout 11:50 a.m. Wednesday at the scene of a burglary in the 30100 block ofKenwood Drive.

Five minutes earlier, a woman driving near Highway 111 and Canyon PlazaDrive told a police officer that her teenage son, who home alone, called her tosay people were breaking in to their home, Cathedral City police Sgt. PaulHerrera said.

“Her son was hiding inside the house as he made the cellular phonecall,” Herrera said.

Police surrounded the house and saw a gray Mercury Sable parked infront, and the driver “told officers he was awaiting the return of two othermales who were burglarizing the home,” Herrera said.

Officers went inside and found two men with stolen property. They alsofound the hiding teenager, who wasn’t hurt, Herrera said.

He said officers found more stolen goods from other thefts inside thecar, and linked the suspects and the vehicle to other burglaries in theneighborhood and in the Cathedral City Cove area.

On Thursday, police found items from those burglaries when they servedsearch warrants at various locations, Herrera said.

“At this time, they believe the group is responsible for at least halfa dozen other burglaries or attempted burglaries in various Cathedral Cityneighborhoods,” he said, adding that police are still looking for other stolenproperty and suspects.

Ramirez-Jaramillo, Rosales and Placencia were booked at the Larry D.Smith Correctional Facility in Banning in lieu of $35,000 bail each and wereexpected to be arraigned this afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio,according to jail records.