Charges filed against three IE residents suspected of grand theft in La Quinta
Felony charges were filed today against two women and a man suspected of being involved in retail thefts in Riverside County, including a recent one at a La Quinta business, from which $2300 of merchandise was stolen.
Khamyra Smith, 19, of Moreno Valley and 18-year-olds Derrick Yanders of Fontana and Chynae Welch of Eastvale were charged with one felony count of grand theft over $950, according to court records.
Smith and Welch were set to be arraigned Friday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, but an arraignment date was not immediately set for Yanders.
Deputies from the Thermal sheriff's station responded at 4:10 p.m. Wednesday to a tip from the Palm Desert Special Enforcement Team about a car that was associated with organized retail theft in Palm Desert, Wildomar and Lake Elsinore, according to Sgt. Mark Chlarson of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
Deputies responded to the 78700 block of Highway 111 in La Quinta and were able to find the vehicle, with assistance from the Indian Wells and Palm Desert Enforcement Teams, in the parking lot of a shopping center, according to Chlarson.
"They detained the subjects after they exited a store,'' Chlarson wrote in a statement. "The investigation found the subjects removed $2300 of merchandise from a business and made no attempts to pay for the merchandise."
Yanders was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, but was released on a $10,000 bail bond Thursday, according to inmate records. Welch and Smith were both booked and remain held at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on $10,000 bail bonds.
Anyone with additional information on the thefts was asked to call Deputy B. Martinez with the Thermal sheriff station's La Quinta Special Enforcement Team at 760-863-8990 of Valley Crimestoppers anonymously at 760-341-7867 (STOP).
