Suspected pool pump thief arrested in Palm Springs

A Thousand Palms man was taken into custody late Tuesday evening after police said he stole a swimming pool pump from a vacation rental home on the 1600 block of Via Roberto Miguel.

Patrol officers were called to the home at 9:32 p.m. Tuesday after receiving a report of a pool pump theft alarm.

The officers said they saw a vehicle parked out front of the unoccupied home, then observed a suspect later identified as David Gene Anderson, 36, in the back yard.

Police said Anderson ran away and jumped a rear fence but was later arrested when he returned to his vehicle out front.

Officers said the pool pump had been removed and power lines and natural gas lines were severed with the gas line left leaking.

Firefighters were called to the scene and secured the gas leak without further incident.

Anderson was booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio on three felony charges of attempted grand theft, cutting a utility line and damaging a utility line.

Anderson was held on $5,000 bail and expected in court Friday.