Caught on Camera: suspected thieves target local laundromat, costing thousands in damage

“That’s somebody’s aunt, someone’s uncle, someone’s brother, someone’s sister, someone’s family member. If that was my brother, I would call him and be like, you’re on the news man,” said Mercedes Fernandez, property manager of the Indian Canyon Mobile Home Park.

Fernandez is referring to camera footage from Monday showing two thieves walking right through the door of the laundry room in broad daylight. The thieves saw the camera on the wall, but that didn’t stop them, property manager says. Now she’s hoping someone can recognize the two.

“We realized when my husband was collecting the quarters when he was taking them out, he noticed that the machine slots had damage to them,” Fernandez said. “That’s when we reviewed the camera and that’s when we saw the suspects.”

Fernandez said that she’s never seen either of the two suspects on the property.

When one of the suspects noticed the camera, they tried to knock it down.

“I really wish they just would’ve walked away. That would’ve been awesome if they walked away, but see there’s criminal intent in her mind and she’s like AHA there’s a sock,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez said the thieves broke into three machines. The theft, plus damage, is going to cost the owner at least $2,000. She believes the thieves are targeting other laundry rooms too, as the suspects left a piece of a different coin machine nearby.

“It’s not petty theft what you’re doing. What you’re doing is committing a very severe and serious crime. We did make a police report, we did give this video to the Sheriff’s department, we are pursuing charges,” Fernandez said. “They need to stop. This is a low-income area, it’s not fair what they did, it’s not right.”

If you have any information on this incident, call the Riverside County Sheriff’s department at (760) 836-1600.