Local News in Brief : Newport Beach : Suspects Held in Airport Commercial Burglaries
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Police have arrested two men suspected of several commercial burglaries near John Wayne Airport after they allegedly were caught carting away computer equipment from an office building.
Mark James Smith and Charles Gregory Suarez, both 33, of Los Angeles were arrested about 10 p.m. Sunday night by officers responding to a report that a burglary was taking place at an office building in the 3300 block of Birch Street, Newport Beach Police Sgt. Andy Gonis said.
Both suspects were booked on suspicion of burglary and were being held at Newport Beach Jail on $100,000 bail each.
Using a handcart, the suspects were allegedly loading computer equipment into a light-blue Dodge van, which Gonis said had been seen near the scene of several other recent burglaries in the area. Both were arrested without incident in the building parking lot.
Suarez, who first told officers his name was Charles William Pugh, is wanted for a parole violation in a grand-theft-auto conviction, police spokesman Robert Oakley said.
The men, Oakley said, are suspected of 15 other burglaries, in which $50,000 worth of equipment has been stolen since May.
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