Couple Allegedly Have Children with Them During Burglary

TEMECULA- A Hemet couple who allegedly stole goods from a Temecula store and fled in a car with their two young children inside were arrested today.

Martin Gallegos Tovar, 32, and Belen Elias, 29, were arrested on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy and child endangerment. Each was booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta, but bail information was not immediately available.

According to Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Michael Driever, deputies were summoned to the J.C. Penney store at 40640 Winchester Road around 12:30 p.m. to investigate a shoplifting in progress.

The alleged thief jumped into a waiting car moments before deputies arrived, but store security personnel were able to provide a description, and area patrols were alerted, Driever said.

The suspects' vehicle was spotted and stopped on Winchester Road, near Algarve Street, in French Valley about 20 minutes later.

Elias was driving and Tovar was in the front passenger seat, allegedly with the stolen merchandise, according to Driever.

The couple's two children, both 3 years old, were in the back seat.

The suspects were taken to jail, and Riverside County Child Protective Services took custody of the children.