Monterey County sheriff’s detectives arrested two men and recovered more than $300,000 in stolen construction equipment tied to an organized theft ring targeting local businesses, authorities said Thursday.
Jaime Sanchez Valdez, 50, of Salinas, was booked into Monterey County Jail on suspicion of theft by false pretenses.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Crimes Unit said the investigation focused on fraudulent rentals and thefts of construction equipment across the county. Detectives learned May 18 that a local business was being targeted by a suspect allegedly using a false identity and fraudulent credit card to rent a mini excavator valued at about $37,000.
Investigators arranged an undercover meeting near Corral de Tierra Road and Highway 68 in Salinas, where Valdez was arrested after allegedly identifying himself with a false alias.
On May 21, detectives served a search warrant at a property on Blackie Road in Prunedale, where they recovered a stolen skid steer, forklift and luxury restroom trailer. The equipment had an estimated value of about $300,000, according to the sheriff’s office.
Authorities also arrested Hazael Corona Andrade, 44, during the search. He faces multiple charges, including possession of stolen property, grand theft and conspiracy.
