Two Palm Desert men have been arrested as investigators look into the vandalism of more than 40 businesses with metal pellets, Sgt. Jeff Cryder of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said.
A vandalism spree has caused an estimated $150,000 in broken windows based on all the businesses involved, Sgt. Cryder said in a news release. The Palm Desert duo have been charged with several counts of vandalism, and more information is being sought on these cases.
The two suspects may have been leaving the scene of the crime when apprehended. On Tuesday at 5:18 a.m., deputies from the Palm Desert Station were responding to a report of a vandalism shooting at a business when they spotted a vehicle speeding away from the scene, the release said. According to Cryder, they detained both the driver and passenger for further investigation and discovered a slingshot, a firearm and metal pellets inside of the vehicle.
Members of the Rancho Mirage Special Enforcement Team assumed the investigation and currently identified over 40 businesses, which were vandalized with similar pellets over the past two months. There are multiple Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage file numbers relating to the vandalism as per the release.
As a result of the investigation, suspects Chance Sawyer, 24, and Brett Wellard, 33, were taken into custody and held at the John Benoit Detention Center for several counts of vandalism and illegal possession of a firearm, Cryder said.
According to Palm Desert Patch, Sawyer has posted his $10,000 bail and was released from John Benoit with no court date yet scheduled. Meanwhile, Wellard is still being held on $10,000 bail at the detention center and is due to appear in court on Monday.
Anyone with information regarding these cases is asked to contact Deputy Kelly or Deputy Earley from the Rancho Mirage Special Enforcement Team at the Palm Desert Station at 760-836-1623 or 760-836-1633.
The Sheriff’s Department has cited a zero tolerance policy for suspects interrupting the livelihoods of their residents, the release said.