New York man posing as priest to commit burglaries arrested in Riverside County

A New York man who was allegedly posing as a priest to commit burglaries was arrested in Moreno Valley, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced today.

Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. were on the lookout for the serial burglar who was allegedly posing as "Father Martin." The suspect allegedly gained access to churches by using fraud and deception to commit theft, and had last been seen driving a black sedan.

Deputies from the Moreno Valley Sheriff's Station located the suspect vehicle around 11 a.m. Wednesday in the 10000 block of Pigeon Pass Road, and identified the driver of the vehicle as 45-year-old Malin Rostas.   

Rostas was taken into custody for an outstanding felony warrant out of Pennsylvania for burglary, according to the sheriff's department.   

Moreno Valley investigators identified Rostas as the suspect allegedly posing as "Father Martin," who had just attempted to burglarize a local church.   

Rostas was booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center on the outstanding warrant, and additional charges were filed for suspicion of attempted burglary in Moreno Valley.

The Moreno Valley Sheriff's Station believes there may be additional burglary victims. Anyone with additional information regarding the burglaries was encouraged to contact investigator McCracken at 951-486-6700.