La Quinta grand theft investigation nets two arrests

An investigation into stolen jewelry resulted in the arrests of a woman on suspicion of theft and a man for alleged illicit drug possession, sheriff’s deputies said today.

Deputies on Wednesday were investigating a “past grand theft of jewelry” at a home in the 60800 block of Desert Rose Drive and discovered additional related theft victims, Riverside County Sheriff’s Sgt. David Aldrich said.

Some of the stolen jewelry was located at local pawn shops.

Investigators eventually identified Maricela Alvarez-Limon, 42, of Indio, as the suspect in the thefts, Aldrich said, and served a search warrant at her home on Friday.

Aldrich did not say why investigators believe Alvarez-Limon committed the thefts or how she accessed her victims’ property.

Deputies arrested Alvarez-Limon on suspicion of grand theft, along with 22-year-old Ruben Mercado Alvarez, who was arrested for possession of methamphetamine while the home was being searched, Aldrich said.

Both were taken to the Indio jail. The two were no longer in custody as of Tuesday, jail records indicate.