Apple Store Burglarized, Teens, Transient Arrested

Two runaway boys and a transient were arrested in Murrieta today for allegedly stealing iPhones from the .

A patrol officer discovered the theft after searching the trio based on a "hunch'' they were up to no good, according to Sgt. Jay Froboese.

Sergei Matthew Rhoades, 24, and two Murrieta juveniles -- neither of whom were identified -- were booked on suspicion of receiving stolen property and conspiracy. Rhoades is being held in lieu of $5,000 bail at the in Murrieta. The boys have been released to the custody of their families.

Murrieta police Officer John Martin spotted the threesome around 9 a.m. walking in the area of Murrieta Hot Springs and Margarita roads and was immediately suspicious that the boys were truant from school.

According to the sergeant, the officer stopped the suspects and conducted a search for weapons and discovered two 64-gig Apple iPhones in the boys.

He also confirmed the teenagers were runaways and had been missing for two days, Froboese said. One youth attends Murrieta Mesa High School; the other is enrolled at Warm Springs Middle School.

"On a hunch, Officer Martin checked the at the Promenade Mall to see if they were missing any phones,'' Froboese said. Store staff confirmed the devices had been taken after running the serial numbers, Froboese said.

During further questioning, the runaways admitted stealing the phones, each of which retails for $649, according to Froboese. "They had to remove the security tags to get through the door of the store without being detected,'' Froboese said. "The employees were looking for the phones at the time (of the arrests).''