Man, 33, suspected of vehicle thefts, burglary, prowling in Palm Springs pleads not guilty
A 33-year-old man suspected of prowling, stealing two vehicles and burglarizing a home in Palm Springs pleaded not guilty today to felony charges.
Justin Eric Dalton of Moreno Valley pleaded not guilty Thursday to one felony count each of burglary and taking a vehicle without the owner's consent, according to court records. On Wednesday, he pleaded not guilty in a separate case to one felony charge each of taking a vehicle without the owner's consent and receiving a stolen vehicle as well as to one misdemeanor count of possessing drug paraphernalia.
Residents of the 2400 block of Junipero Avenue, the 2200 block of Leonard Road and the 900 block of West Racquet Club Road reported a suspicious man in the Little Tuscany Neighborhood between Aug. 12 and Aug. 14, according to the Palm Springs Police Department. The man, described as having long brown hair and wearing a white T-shirt, was reportedly prowling in yards, trying to open doors and disabling surveillance cameras.
On Aug. 14, a man matching the same description burglarized a home in the 2100 block of Girasol Avenue and stole the victim's vehicle, police said. Shortly after 8 a.m. two days later, officers responded to a call of a vehicle theft in progress.
"According to the caller, the suspect stole a truck (and) parked in the area of (South) Sunrise Way and (East) Palm Canyon,'' Palm Springs police wrote in a statement. "PSPD Officers responded, found the stolen truck a short distance away, and arrested the suspect."
Once in custody, Dalton was identified as the suspect of prowling through the neighborhood in the days prior and of the burglary and vehicle theft from Aug. 14, according to police. He was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, where he remains held without bail.
Anyone with additional information on the suspect, burglary, vehicle thefts or prowling incidents was asked to call investigators at 760-323-8121 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 760-347-7867(STOP).
