Police arrest burglary suspect

Within hours of a break-in late Sunday, Costa Mesa police officers recovered $2,000 worth of gold jewelry from a bicyclist they later arrested as a suspect in the case.

Two officers were patrolling Harbor Boulevard near Bay Street about 2 a.m. Monday when they spotted a bicyclist who seemed to be avoiding them, according to a news release from the Costa Mesa Police Department.

When the officers talked to the cyclist, he told them he was on probation and admitted that he had methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia on him, according to police.

As officers searched the cyclist, they discovered he also had gold jewelry, the release said.

Officers arrested the cyclist, Luis Morales, 23, of Costa Mesa, and took him to the police station, where they compared the jewelry to a description of what was stolen from a Costa Mesa home late Sunday.

Residents at the home in the 2000 block of Maple Street told police that an intruder forced his way in through a window while the house was empty.

The person took a gold necklace, bracelets and other jewelry — some of which had been in the victims’ family for generations.

Police said the gold items taken from Morales match the description of the stolen jewelry, and he was booked on suspicion of burglary at Costa Mesa’s city jail.

Morales could also face drug and possession of stolen property charges, police said.

He is now being held in Orange County Jail on $20,000 bail.

Police ask that anyone with more information about the case call detectives at (714) 754-5205.