Highland man pleads not guilty to grand thefts at La Quinta businesses
A Highland man suspected in multiple grand theft incidents from two businesses in La Quinta pleaded not guilty to felony charges today.
Huy Nhat Pham, 34, was charged with two felony counts each of burglary and of grand theft over $950, as well as one misdemeanor count each of being in possession of drug paraphernalia, shoplifting value of under $950 and receiving stolen property, according to court records.
He pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
The La Quinta Special Enforcement Team served a search warrant in the 26000 block of Bruce Street in Highland Thursday morning, in connection to the thefts that were reported March 1, according to Sgt. Jamie Lewis of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
The thefts occurred at two businesses in the 78000 and 79000 block of Highway 111 in La Quinta, according to Lewis. The same businesses also reported similar thefts in their locations out of the area.
After the search, about $3,200 worth of stolen merchandise was recovered, according to Lewis, and Pham was taken into custody.
He was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, where he remains held on $30,000.
Anyone with information on the thefts was asked to call Deputy Chris Williams of the Thermal Sheriffs Station at 760-863-8990 or Valley Crime Stoppers anonymously at 760-341-7867(STOP).
