Officers find hawks, guns, & vehicles stolen from a local home depot during Coachella search warrants
The Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force found red tail hawks, guns, and multiple vehicles stolen from a local Home Depot during a search of a residence and ranch in Coachella.
The discovery was made Wednesday at Noon when task force officers, with assistance from the Riverside Auto Theft Interdiction Detail and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, served search warrants at a residence in the 50000 block of Goya Drive and at a Ranch near Dillon Road and Vista Del Norte in Coachella.
Task force officers reported finding several stolen vehicles including a Ford F-750 Water Truck, Toy Hauler, Trailer, Honda All Terrain Vehicle, John Deere Gator and a Ditch Witch. All these vehicles had previously been stolen from a local Home Depot, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department revealed.
Task force officers also reporting finding two loaded 9mm semi-auto handguns concealed inside parked vehicles on the properties. The guns were determined to be illegally possessed and non-serialized (Ghost Guns).
Three Red-Tailed Hawks were found in a small cage in the backyard of the residence on Goya Drive.
The Sheriff's Department revealed that the hawks appeared to be living in substandard conditions while being confined to the small cage. The birds were being fed a diet of hotdogs and lunch meat. They were turned over to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for relocation to a rehabilitation center for wild birds.
Three men, ages 18, 41, & 48, were arrested on a variety of charges, including possession of stolen vehicles and animal cruelty. All three subjects were booked at John Benoit Detention Center in Indio.
As part of the station's policy, we do not publish a suspect's photo or name until they are officially charged by the District Attorney's office.
If you have any information about this crime, you are asked to contact CVVCGTF member Officer James at (760) 836-1600.
If you have non-emergency information regarding gang activity, please use our online Gang Task Force Tip Form or call 951-922-7601.
