3 charged with ID theft, possession of stolen property

Three suspects who were detained by Modesto police at Orangeburg Mini Storage at Claus Road on Wednesday morning have been booked into the Stanislaus County jail on suspicion of identity theft, possession of stolen property and conspiracy.

The suspects are Kenneth Lindsay, 36; Thomas Criteser, 40; and Crystal Gooch, 36. They were found in possession of stolen property and fraudulent checks when initially detained, authorities said.

Detectives later served a search warrant on a storage unit rented by Lindsay. They said they found more stolen property there. So far, more than 10 victims have been identified, police said late Wednesday.

The incident occurred when a detective was at Orangeburg Mini Storage investigating reports of a rash of burglaries there and elsewhere, said Modesto police spokeswoman Heather Graves.

Inside the fenced area, he spotted a man on foot who matched a description of a burglar. There also was a Honda sedan with two occupants on site. The man tried to flee, Graves said, but was apprehended by the detective and other officers who arrived on the scene. The occupants of the vehicle also were taken into custody at gunpoint and without incident.

This story was originally published June 25, 2015 at 7:46 AM with the headline "3 charged with ID theft, possession of stolen property."