Shotgun Among Items Stolen From Lake Elsinore Storage Unit

Two men have been arrested in connection with a Lake Elsinore burglary that included theft of a firearm.

Sunday afternoon, deputies investigated a report of several vehicles and storage units that had been broken into in the 33000 block of Grand Avenue, according to a report from Sgt. Ken Chaffin of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Numerous pieces of property were stolen, including a 12-gauge shotgun, Chaffin reported.

Deputies identified Lake Elsinore resident Christopher Michael Moore, 24, as a suspect, the sergeant said. He was later located and arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property.

“The recovered stolen property items were returned to the owner,” Chaffin reported.

During the investigation, deputies also identified Perris resident Michael Dean Lunsford, 42, as an additional suspect, the sergeant said.

Lunsford was pulled over in an unrelated vehicle stop and the alleged stolen shotgun was recovered, Chaffin said.

Lunsford was also taken into custody.

But there was more to the investigation. On Monday deputies discovered Lunsford was leasing a storage unit at the business on Grand Avenue where the original crimes occurred, Chaffin explained.

With a search warrant in hand, deputies recovered additional stolen property, Chaffin reported.

The total estimated value of the property recovered was $2,800, the sergeant said.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Investigator Cornett at the Lake Elsinore Police Department: (951) 245-3300, or after hours and weekends by calling (951) 776-1099.