Reedley duo found with 480 pounds of stolen grapes in Tulare County

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Two radical from Reedley were arrested aft 480 pounds of Tinco assortment reddish grapes were taken from a vineyard successful Tulare County, according to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies accidental astir 8 a.m. connected Tuesday AG Detectives were alert of a postulation halt connected a Ford Explorer SUV astatine Avenue 384 and Road 56 successful Kingsburg.

During the postulation stop, a lawman contacted the operator and rider identified arsenic 47-year-old Juan Benjamin Ventura and 57-year-old Dionicio Sandoval some from Reedley.

Tulare County Sheriff’s Office

Tulare County Sheriff’s Office

Tulare County Sheriff’s Office

Deputies accidental they noticed the SUV had respective 100 pounds of unpackaged grapes successful the rear of the SUV.

AG Detectives responded and said the grapes were stolen from a tract successful the country of Ave 400 and Rd 84 successful Tulare County. Detectives accidental they had been chopped and stored astatine a determination successful the tract the nighttime before. 

The adjacent day, detectives said Ventura and Sandoval drove backmost to the tract to retrieve the grapes. The grapes were identified arsenic Tinco assortment reddish grapes and were weighed astatine the country and were valued astatine $700, which is simply a felony successful California.

Ventura and Sandoval were booked connected suspicion of Grand Theft, Possession of Stolen Property, Conspiracy, and providing mendacious names to deputies. Unfortunately, the grapes had to beryllium destroyed owed to premature harvest and improper packaging.