Two Arrests Made in Connection to Stolen Wildomar Boy Scout Trailer

Two people have been arrested in connection to the recent theft of a Wildomar boy scout troop's trailer, sheriff's officials said Friday.

According to the sheriff's department— who credited the local community with providing valuable tips to solve the case— deputies found Troop 332's stolen trailer on Thursday.

"This investigation is a perfect example of what can be accomplished when law enforcement and the communities we serve work together," Sheriff's Lt. Zachary Hall said.

According to Hall, the first break in the case came on Monday, when Wildomar police learned that some of the items from the trailer may be located at a residence on Paradise Lane in town.

"At the Paradise Lane location, officers served a search warrant and recovered about 80% of the stolen property," Hall said. 

54-year-old Doreen Watkins was arrested at that home for possessing the stolen property, according to Hall.

Then, on Thursday, police "focused their attention" at a property in the 20000 block of Riverside Street in Meadowbrook, Hall said.

"At this property, officers arrested James Heflin, age 45 from Meadowbrook, for possessing stolen property," according to Hall.  "He was booked into jail at the Southwest Detention Center."

While police were on scene in Meadowbrook, they learned that the stolen trailer was at a location in Desert Hot Springs— and that some more of the items from inside were at a home in Perris, Hall said.

"On March 20, 2014, about 9:00 PM, officers arrived in Desert Hot Springs and located the troop’s stolen trailer," the lieutenant said.  "About the same time, officers arrived at the [Perris] residence and located more of the troop’s stolen property."

All the recovered items were returned to the troop.