Indio, CA
Five suspected thieves working in groups were arrested at the Coachella Art and Music Festival, police said today.
The suspects were arrested Friday after police received multiple reports of stolen cellphones inside the festival grounds.
"Officers were able to isolate and locate two different groups of suspects that had multiple phones in their possession and place them under arrest without incident,” said Sgt. Dan Marshall of the Indio police.
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Police allegedly recovered more than 40 cellphones from the two groups, several forms of personal identification, credit cards and cash.
The first group of suspects included Angela Trivino, 35, of New York and Viviana Hernandez, 38, of Los Angeles.
The second group consisted of Brenda Cansino, 29, of Miami; Sharon Ruiz, 25, of Van Nuys; and Marco Leon, 27, of Los Angeles.
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The suspects were booked into the Indio Jail on suspicion of grand theft, possession of stolen property and conspiracy. The recovered items were turned into the festival’s lost and found, located at the main entrance, south of the Ferris wheel, Marshall said.
Anyone who loses items during the festival was advised to search for their lost possessions on https://www.coachella.com/guidebook/lostandfound/.
Last weekend at the festival, police arrested 36-year-old Reinaldo De Jesus Henao, who allegedly had over 100 stolen cellphones in his possession, after attendees tracked him down with the “Find My Phone” feature that allows iPhone owners to locate a lost cellphone.
More busts from Weekend Two, 50 drivers ticketed for illegally parking in handicap spaces despite the festival providing free parking.
"That’s what we do best is get people on this property, so come down, park where you’re supposed to but please don’t use the ADA lots because you’re just taking a spot from somebody who truly needs to be there," said Sgt. Marshall.
