LOWER LAKE, Calif. – A Lower Lake woman whose home was burglarized in February while she was at the hospital with her dying husband received some good news this week, as two suspects in the case were arrested.
Patrick William Mullen, 50, and 26-year-old Randy Hopper, both of Lower Lake, were taken into custody on Tuesday, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Mullen and Hopper are alleged to have broken into the Big Bear Road home of Naomi and David Richmond of Lower Lake.
David Richmond, a disabled Vietnam veteran, was transported by medics to the hospital on the night of Feb. 16.
His wife had left to go to the hospital to be with him and the break-in occurred afterward, as she explained in a letter to Lake County News: http://bit.ly/1dDlGvE .
Brooks said the burglary was reported to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office on Feb. 16 and the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit has been actively investigating the case since then.
He explained that detectives were able to gather multiple statements from various neighbors in the area and served search warrants at two Lower Lake residences.
A neighbor located some of the drawers to a jewelry box, which had been taken during the burglary, Brooks said. The drawers were thrown off a bridge on Big Bear Road.
Another neighbor told detectives that one of the suspects had admitted to participating in the burglary and was laughing as he explained how he kicked in the front door, Brooks said.
Through the investigation, Brooks said detectives were able to recover a ring and a bracelet belonging to Richmond, and also identified two suspects responsible for the theft.
On Monday, arrest warrants were issued by the Lake County Superior Court for Hopper and Mullen. Brooks said detectives located and arrested both men on the warrants on Tuesday.
Hopper and Mullen were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. Both remained in custody Thursday, with bail set at $50,000 each.
Jail records indicate both are scheduled to appear in court on April 15.
The Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit is still attempting to locate and recover stolen property taken from the burglary, Brooks said.
Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-263-2690.