HIDDEN VALLEY — California Highway Patrol officers arrested three people late Tuesday night for two recent Hidden Valley robberies, among other charges, after two Hidden Valley Lake security officers noticed suspicious activity on Spruce Grove Road east of Deer Hill Road.
Security officers Tom Stricklin and Dave Hutchinson investigated motorcycles driving without headlights at 11:10 p.m. Monday night and spotted Joseph Billeci, 21 of Hidden Valley and a minor lying motionless in a nearby field next to two dirt bike motorcycles on their sides.
The officers alerted CHP, and a subsequent investigation uncovered another motorcycle and another suspect, Tyler Hamm, 21, also of Hidden Valley.
Billeci and the unidentified minor reportedly admitted stealing the off-highway vehicles from a residence in the area, according to the CHP report.
Further investigation revealed a vehicle belonging to one of the men containing a stolen laptop, 10 PlayStation games and collectible coins from a robbery earlier in the week.
Also in the vehicle was just under $1,500, a loaded pistol, a shotgun with ammunition, and what CHP Officer Josh Dye identified as “a substantial amount” of marijuana.
The motorcycles and other stolen goods were returned to their rightful owners; the cash and marijuana were held as evidence.
Billeci and Hamm were booked at the Lake County Jail; the minor suspect at juvenile hall.
The three will face charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, possession of marijuana and a possible firearm charge, said Dye.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
