Burglary Suspects Arrested And Indicted

On the morning of Friday, June 17th, a park visitor staying in Housekeeping Camp reported that her purse and over $1,000 worth of camera gear had been stolen from her car. While cancelling her credit cards, she was told that her credit card had been used to purchase gas at 5:40 a.m. that morning at the El Portal gas station, about 14 miles to the west of Yosemite Valley. Valley District rangers went to the gas station and obtained a security camera photo showing a white male gassing up a silver Ford Mustang at the same time the victim's card was being used. Later that day, another guest at Housekeeping Camp reported that his cabin had been broken into and that a pack containing an iPod, another MP-3 player and flashlights had been stolen. That evening, when responding to a report of suspicious persons, Valley District rangers stopped two white male cousins. The cousins, who were driving a silver Ford Mustang, told the rangers that they didn't have a place to stay. A Carroll search of the Mustang ended with the rangers locating most of the stolen property. Upon being interviewed, the cousins admitted to stealing from the car, fraudulently using the credit card, and breaking into the cabin with the intent to steal. The two were indicted on July 30th on three felony counts apiece, burglary (California Penal Code 459), theft in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States (18 USC 661), and possessing or receiving stolen property in the special maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United States (18 USC 662).