LAKEPORT ? Two burglary suspects were confirmed for their preliminary hearing Friday during a brief court appearance.
Reginald Mills, 21, and Brandon Saulter, 19, are charged with first-degree burglary, possession of stolen property and misdemeanor possession of burglary tools. Mills has an additional parole violation charge. Saulter is also charged with petty theft and an unrelated misdemeanor.
One of the men admitted to a Lake County Sheriff officer Jan. 5 that about 10 p.m. Jan. 4 he pried back the tin siding of Visions of Avatar on Soda Bay Road to gain access, Capt. Jim Bauman of LCSO said. The man said he stole marijuana from a locked box, pipes and rolling papers. Bauman would not say which man talked.
Lakeport police officer Jake Steely saw the men walking down South Main Street about an hour later, spoke with them, searched them as Mills was on parole and Saulter had a warrant, and found stolen property, Lt. Brad Rasmussen of Lakeport police said.
Steely arrested them and booked them into Lake County Jail.
In the past two months, burglars stole from 12 Lakeport businesses, one of those twice and attempted to break into other stores, Rasmussen said.
Lakeport police found jewelry from a Dec. 24 burglary of The Healing Earth while searching Mills” residence during an ongoing investigation of commercial burglaries in Lakeport, Rasmussen said.
The Healing Earth owner identified seven pieces of jewelry police found as coming from the store, Rasmussen said.
Both defense attorneys said they had just received discovery in the case but made no objections of the scheduled hearing.
Mills and Saulter remain in custody. They will return to court 9 a.m. Friday for their preliminary hearing.
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
