Suspected Serial Burglars Arrested

Four suspects were arrested on suspicion of committing at least 37 residential burglaries in Murrieta and Temecula, including a recent heist on Oak Meadows Drive in Murrieta.

Murrieta and Temecula police were armed with warrants when they arrested the suspects over a two-day period Feb. 1-2, according to Murrieta police Sgt. Phil Gomez.

Artemio Lopez, 21, of Temecula, his live-in girlfriend Carla Nallely Lopez, 18, and brothers Nazario Aparicio Galindo, 20, and Israel Aparicio Galindo, 21, both of Hemet, all face charges connected to the burglaries.

Murrieta police began investigating the crimes after the latest victims returned at about to their residence on Oak Meadows Place — in the Murrieta Oaks neighborhood off Clinton Keith — to see three adult males allegedly running out the back door, Gomez said in a news release.

"The victims discovered the residence ransacked and several electronic items and a handgun missing," the sergeant said.

Murrieta police used dogs to search the area, but turned up nothing, he said.

The responding officers developed leads and passed the investigation off to Murrieta police detectives, he said, who were able to associate seven recent and similar home burglaries in Murrieta to the same suspects.

Follow-up investigation led Murrieta police detectives to Artemio Lopez, Gomez said, and they served a search warrant Feb. 1 at Lopez’s Temecula residence.

"Items located during the search included a stolen handgun and several other items stolen during residential burglaries in Murrieta and Temecula over the past two months," Gomez said.

Lopez was arrested on suspicion of residential burglary, grand theft and weapons charges, Gomez said, and his live-in girlfriend, Carla Nallely Lopez, was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen property.

During the investigation, Gomez said Temecula police contacted Murrieta detectives to advise they were looking into approximately 30 similar residential burglaries. 

They told detectives they had a person of interest, Nazario Aparicio Galindo, 21, of Hemet, related to their investigation, Gomez said. Murrieta detectives were then able to connect Nazario and his brother, Israel, with the Murrieta burglaries, he said.

A search warrant was obtained and served Feb. 2 at the brothers' Hemet apartment, in cooperation with Temecula police investigators, Gomez said.

"Several stolen items from Murrieta and Temecula burglaries were located during the search," Gomez said.

Nazario and Israel were both arrested by Murrieta detectives on suspicion of residential burglary, receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy, Gomez said. 

All were out on bail as of publication time, according to jail records.

Anyone with further information regarding the investigation was asked to call Murrieta police Detective Spencer Parker at 951-461-6364 or Sgt. Phil Gomez at 951-461-6356.  Information can also be provided anonymously through “We Tip” at 1-800-78-CRIME.