CHICO, Calif. — The Chico Police Department says two people were arrested Friday following what a press release calls "prolific" burglaries in the Chico area.
"Since the middle of July, the City of Chico and Unincorporated Chico Area were victimized by more than 20 residential burglaries, vehicle burglaries, and thefts from vehicles," police said in a press release. "Investigators obtained evidence indicating that several of the crimes were committed in common by at least two suspects."
According to the press release, 39-year-old Bryan Matthew Mendez and 33-year-old Douglas Lejk broke into a home on Rue Francais on July 21 with people inside and attacked the residents with pepper spray. They then took a Chevrolet truck. Police add the duo then used "stolen ID and bank cards from a burglary in the Entler Avenue area of south Chico to obtain cash and property within the City of Chico."
Friday, law enforcement located and apprehended Mendez and Lejk in the 2200 block of Park Avenue in Chico. Investigators served a search warrant at the motel they were staying at.
"Investigators recovered the vehicle stolen in the pepper spray attack, and hundreds of items believed to have been stolen from multiple residential and vehicular burglaries," as was stated in the release.
The Chico Police Department says detectives are requesting multiple charges including burglary, assault with pepper spray, possession of stolen property, and more.
