California\u2019s former meth capital is now dealing with a sweeter crime wave.<\/p>\n
Francisco Lopez, 54, of Reedley, and Josue Vargas, 46, of Orange Cove, were busted by Fresno County sheriff\u2019s detectives assigned to the Agricultural Crimes Task Force, officials said<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Central Valley men wen were arrested for allegedly swiping about 2,000 pounds of peaches from a farm<\/a> \u2014\u00a0with officials revealing their mug shots after the major heist.<\/p>\n Francisco Lopez was arrested Monday night. Instagram\/@fresnosheriff<\/p>\n Josue Vargas was also busted for the peach heist. Instagram\/@fresnosheriff<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia’s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n The pair were arrested on suspicion of felony grand theft of farm crops after detectives tracked down a suspect vehicle tied to a string of stone fruit thefts in Fresno and Tulare counties, according to the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/p>\n The investigation caught a break Monday night, when a deputy stopped a matching pickup pulling a trailer near Dinuba, at Kamm Avenue and Road 56.<\/p>\n Inside the trailer were crates loaded with roughly 2,000 pounds of Pink Moon Peaches \u2014\u00a0worth about $8,500.<\/p>\n Detectives determined the peaches had been stolen Sunday from a farm in Tulare County.<\/p>\n Jesus Chacon was also in the truck and arrested on outstanding warrants. Instagram\/@fresnosheriff<\/p>\n Roughly 2,000 pounds of Pink Moon Peaches were taken \u2014\u00a0worth about $8,500. Instagram\/@fresnosheriff<\/p>\n Lopez had bail set at $10,000, as Vargas had total bail set at $50,000 because of additional DUI-related warrants, officials said.<\/p>\n A third person in the truck, 56-year-old Jesus Chacon of Reedley, was also arrested on outstanding warrants related to drug possession and battery, according to the sheriff\u2019s office.<\/p>\n The Tulare County Sheriff\u2019s Office is expected to pursue additional criminal charges against Lopez and Vargas because the alleged theft happened in its jurisdiction.<\/p>\n Fresno, once spotlighted in the 2009 documentary \u201cThe City Addicted to Crystal Meth<\/a>,\u201d has become a favorite punchline in recent years as the Central Valley city keeps popping up positively in national rankings<\/a>.<\/p>\n But this time, the city\u2019s infamous past collided with one of the region\u2019s most important industries: agriculture.<\/p>\n The Fresno County Sheriff\u2019s Office urged growers to protect themselves<\/a> by installing cameras near entrances, loading areas and packing facilities, using trail cameras in remote orchards, keeping entrances well lit and avoiding leaving harvested bins in fields overnight.<\/p>\n Officials also recommended trimming vegetation around gates and roads to eliminate hiding spots, securing loaded trailers in yards whenever possible and marking bins with permanent farm identifiers.<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t
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