Last Friday, at approximately 1:30 p.m., two suspects were seen breaking into a house on Flanders Road near UCR Family Student Housing. The UC Police Department (UCPD) assisted the Riverside Police Department (RPD) in searching for the perpetrators, one of whom was apprehended near Canyon Crest Drive and Linden Street. The other suspect, however, reportedly disappeared into the housing complex.
UCPD issued an emergency text alert to all students to stay indoors if they were in the surrounding area. The officers searched for the second suspect, who was described as a black male in his early 30s wearing a black shirt and red shorts in a police bulletin. The suspect was not found and the search was called off around 2:30 p.m.
RPD now holds the first suspect in custody and will continue the investigation for the second suspect. Kris Lovekin, UCR Director of Media Relations, advocates vigilance and said, “The best safety advice is to keep doors locked, keep your eyes up and alert as you walk and keep valuables out of sight (especially electronics like phones and tablets).”