Three arrested after burglary-in-progress report in El Dorado Hills
A portion of the stolen items discovered at the trio’s hotel room. (EDCSO)
ABOVE PHOTO: Courtesy El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department
EL DORADO HILLS // Sheriff’s Deputies have arrested three people pursuant to an investigation kicked off by a report of a burglary-in-progress on February 2.
That day, deputies were dispatched to Wildridge Drive after being advised of the incident, during which the victim had caught one of the suspects in his vehicle and tried to chase him down. The second suspect, a woman, then approached and grabbed the stolen property, but was tackled to the ground by the victim as she tried to flee.
The woman, identified later as 37-year-old Bobbie Ritola of Folsom, disclosed that she’d driven two male friends to El Dorado Hills for the express purpose of ransacking vehicles, all the while with her 6-month-old child in tow. She also admitted the trio had been staying at a rented hotel room in Folsom.
Deputies went to the room and searched it, finding the two other suspects — Kalen White (29) of Citrus Heights, and Jereme Hale (37) of Placerville — as well as Ritola’s child. The room was also riddled with paraphernalia, including uncapped needles, and various other items such as a stun gun, pepper spray, and what appeared to be a large amount of stolen property.
Detectives responded and conducted a thorough search of the room, discovering stolen property linked to multiple thefts and burglaries in El Dorado, Sacramento, and Placer Counties. Detectives also confirmed through interviews that the child had been with them during the commission of many of these crimes.
All three have been arrested and charged with possession of stolen property, conspiracy, and child endangerment. Authorities also levied individual charges for the stun gun and pepper spray.
The child is now in the custody of Child Protective Services.
