Police Nab Suspect in Theft of Army Humvees From Reserve Center in Southern California
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An U.S. Army Humvee, used to transport troops and gear. (Mateusz Slodkowski/AFP via Getty Images)
By Jill McLaughlin
1/30/2025Updated: 1/30/2025

A Southern California man suspected of stealing three Army Humvees and military equipment from the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Tustin this month has been captured, police announced Jan. 29.

Alfredo Reyes Jr., 40, of Orange was arrested Jan. 16 after officers obtained search warrants in the case, according to Tustin police Sgt. Ryan Newton. The location of the search was not disclosed.

“This is still an ongoing investigation,” Newton told The Epoch Times on Thursday. “We have some things in the works right now. Next week, we will be able to provide a little bit more information about where we located these items.”

Officers from Tustin and the neighboring city of Irvine joined Army investigators and an Orange County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad to serve the search warrants, according to the Tustin Police Department.

Investigators were looking for one armored Humvee and two soft Humvees, used to transport light cargo and personnel, and other military equipment reported stolen between 8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 8 at the reserve center about 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

The center, located on the site of a former Naval station, is used to train and prepare soldiers for deployment.

Detectives found locks removed from many storage lockers at the facility and missing gear. An attempt was made to cut a lock to a storage unit containing uniforms, but that was unsuccessful, Tustin police reported on Facebook Jan. 10.

A fence was also cut during the theft to gain access to the Humvees, police reported.

The Army told police there was no known loss of weapons or ammunition.

Police reported an arrest related to the theft of three Humvees from the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Tustin reported on Jan. 8, 2025.

Police reported an arrest related to the theft of three Humvees from the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Tustin reported on Jan. 8, 2025.

The thieves stole eight machine gun vehicle mounts, seven free-standing machine gun tripods, medical equipment, 40 pairs of binoculars, and 18 bayonets, according to Tustin police.

In a similar theft of military equipment in New York last year, four people were arrested in July after trying to resell government items.

New York state police reported that officers were able to track down the suspects after the items were placed for sale on Facebook Marketplace. The account had allegedly been opened by one of the suspects, a civilian Department of Defense employee.

Among the recovered items, which were worth tens of thousands of dollars, was a ballistic vest that was being reshipped to Russia, an illegal rifle, and high-capacity magazines, according to police.

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Jill McLaughlin is an award-winning journalist covering politics, environment, and statewide issues. She has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Oregon, Nevada, and New Mexico. Jill was born in Yosemite National Park and enjoys the majestic outdoors, traveling, golfing, and hiking.

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