Three suspects in local burglaries may face charges in other counties
By GREG WELTER - Staff Writer
Posted: 01/10/2009 12:09:53 AM PST


PLACERVILLE — Three people suspected of burglarizing more than a half dozen Chico area businesses may face charges in at least four other counties before Butte County authorities get their hands on them. 

Richard Lenning, 28, his brother Michael Lenning, 25, and Linda Wallace, 57, were arrested Tuesday in Yuba City in connection with a string of car thefts and burglaries through the north state. 

On New Year's Day the trio, all from El Dorado County, are suspected of stealing a pickup from Jessee Heating and Air Conditioning in Chico and using it to smash through a window at Cal Skate on Carmichael Drive. 

Once inside the thieves quickly ground through the case of an ATM and emptied it of cash. 

Early Monday morning the same three are suspected of driving a panel van stolen from Amador County through plate glass at a Shell station on Forest Avenue in Chico, then removing an ATM, which they broke into later. 

The stolen vehicles, a smashed ATM, and items from several other Chico area burglaries were found dumped Tuesday on an abandoned road near Forest Ranch. 

Based on the location, authorities are investigating the possibility they had help from someone familiar with rural Butte County. 

The trio also appears to have burglarized the office of a used car lot on Highway 32, a muffler shop on Broadway, a computer store on Mangrove Avenue, and an equipment rental business on The Esplanade, all in the past two weeks. 

Wallace and the Lenning brothers 
 
were transferred from Yuba City to the El Dorado County Jail in Placerville, where Sgt. Brian Golmitz said Richard faces charges including car theft, receiving stolen property and harboring a fugitive — his brother. 
Michael faces car theft and receiving stolen property charges, but is being held on a no-bail warrant alleging parole violations. Neither is currently a suspect in any known burglaries in El Dorado or Amador counties. "The investigation is on-going, however," Golmitz said. 

Authorities in Sutter and Yuba counties believe the suspects can be tied to thefts there, including some involving automatic teller machines. 

The trio was arrested about 10 a.m. Tuesday at a Yuba City motel. 

Golmitz said Michael Lenning has a long criminal history. "I remember chasing this guy around the county when he was 15," Golmitz said.


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