Briefs: Trio suspected of identity theft

A female and two male residents of the Yuba-Sutter area are suspected of identity theft following their arrest Saturday in Butte County at a Walmart store.

Oroville Police Department officers were dispatched to a theft in progress at Home Depot Saturday evening where a witness had observed a female suspect leave with an ice chest suspected of being filled with the store's merchandise.

The witness followed a vehicle with three suspects that later pulled into the Walmart parking lot. The female and a male suspect entered the store where they were interrupted by police in the midst of another theft, according to an Oroville Police Department press release.

Michael J. King, 38, Shawn I. Taplin, 31, and Allison E. Higgins, 28, were booked into Butte County jail on charges of commercial burglary, conspiracy, identity theft and possession of stolen property.

An ice chest recovered in their van contained various stolen items from Home Depot, as well as stolen mail, personal/business checks, credit card information and store receipts. The group was in possession of checks and other documents belonging to approximately 25 Yuba City residents, according to the press release.

Yuba City Police Department investigators had previously identified roughly 600 mail theft victims from Yuba-Sutter. Those thefts are now being tied to the suspects in custody.

A multi-county theft/fraud investigation is now under way.

Gridley

Morning fire destroys property

A structure fire in Gridley early Sunday morning destroyed roughly $50,000 in personal property, according to CalFire officials.

The fire errupted at approximately 3:15 a.m. in a warehouse at 100 Kentucky Street.

Clean Flame, a company that makes compressed logs for residential fire places occupies the building.

Sutter County Fire, Oroville Fire and Butte County Fire Volunteers assisted Calfire Butte County in extinguishing the fire.