Alleged Rite Aid burglars busted by Merced police

Merced police arrested two men early Tuesday on suspicion of burglarizing the Rite Aid store off G Street.

Derek Gregory Valenzuela, 21, and Laban Charo Jr. of Merced were taken into custody and booked into the Merced County Jail.

Police dispatch was notified about the burglary by a witness and officers responded to the scene around 3 a.m. The witness said one of the burglars walked up to the store's main front door and smashed the glass, exiting with cartons of cigarettes, according to Lt. Roger McIntyre.

The witness confronted the burglar, who ran to a waiting blue Ford Taurus. The witness described the burglar as a white male wearing a black ski mask, a dark colored sweat shirt and shorts. The burglars drove away, traveling eastbound on Olive Avenue, McIntyre said.

But the witness followed the Taurus on his bike long enough to read the license plate. Using that information, police were able to locate the suspects' address in Merced. Under questioning, Valenzuela admitted committing the crime, and Charo admitted being the driver.

The witness was also able to positively identify Valenzuela as being the burglar who smashed the window.

Both men are being held in lieu of $30,000 bail.

— Sun-Star staff