Police nab man suspected of stealing pricey custom golf carts and operating a chop shop with parts
A La Quinta man suspected of stealing several customized golf carts with five-figure price tags from area resorts was arrested Wednesday.
Justin Schultz, 28, was booked into the Indio Jail on suspicion of vehicle theft, operating a chop shop, possession of stolen property and possession of methamphetamine. Bail information was not immediately available.
According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the Riverside Auto-Theft Interdiction Detail began its investigation on Monday after a Coachella Valley man notified sheriff’s investigators that he believed he had found his personal golf cart listed in a Craigslist ad.
CBS Local 2 and KESQ spoke with the victim, Tim Venturi, the son of golf legend Ken Venturi, about the theft on Tuesday.
“The point of the matter is, this car went on craigslist, two different times- almost three different times in a matter of 7 days, had three different owners.”
By the time police caught up with the lister, Venturi said it had been moved to another area.
The cart, valued at $17,000, had been stolen from the Indian Wells Country Club on Feb. 15, said sheriff’s Sgt. Sean Brown.
Brown said that the RAID team tracked down the buyer of the cart at his San Bernardino County home and confirmed that it was the one they were looking for, at which point it was seized and returned to its rightful owner.
Venturi told CBS Local 2 and KESQ’s Katie Widner he picked up the golf cart at an impound lot in Apple Valley on Wednesday after paying $750.
The buyer cooperated with investigators, leading to the identification of Schultz as the alleged seller, according to Brown.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s property in the 53000 block of Avenida Rubio, where they “located an additional golf cart valued at $15,000,” Brown said.
That cart was confirmed stolen from the La Quinta Resort & Club on Feb. 15, the sergeant alleged.
“Investigators determined Schultz was operating a chop shop out of the residence and found various golf cart parts packaged for resale,” Brown said.
Schultz was taken into custody without incident.
Sheriff’s officials are attempting to identify alleged victims. Anyone with information was asked to contact the RAID unit at (951) 955-2770.
