Courier

Media Credit: Courtesy of PCCPD Jose De Jesus Macias

A former PCC student has been arrested in connection with a string of thefts on campuses. Jose De Jesus Macias is accused of stealing music equipment from the PCC campus as well as the campus of CSU Dominguez Hills, between 2006 and 2007.

In October 2006, PCC Police responded to a theft report on campus. According to Campus Police, four music speakers were stolen from the music department. Police say, PCC purchased replacement speakers, but those speakers were also reported stolen in May, 2007.

In Sept., 2007 CSU Dominguez Hills reported the theft of speakers, a mixing board and microphones from its music department, police said.

According to Campus Police, on Feb. 10, Jose Diaz arrived at the PCC Police Department hoping to provide information about thefts from PCC and CSU Dominguez Hills. Police say that Diaz told them that he and Macias had been childhood friends and that in 2005 the two men formed a music band.

Diaz reported that he started to notice expensive sound equipment in Macias' home between 2006 and 2007 during band practice, police said. When asked by Diaz and other band members where the equipment came from, Macias reportedly stated that he had borrowed the equipment.

Macias' Facebook account included photographs of the band playing at local events. The stolen speakers and microphones could be seen in the photographs police said.

According to police, in late January Macias began consuming alcoholic beverages during band practice and after becoming intoxicated, began boasting about stealing the music equipment from the campuses of PCC and CSUDH. On January 31, Diaz and Macias were involved in an argument regarding the stolen equipment, police said.

According to the police report Diaz informed Macias that he no longer wanted anything to do with the band and informed Macias that he was going to tell the police about the thefts. Diaz appeared at the PCC Police Department 10 days later.

Diaz denied taking part in the theft and also denied any knowledge that the equipment was stolen, said police.

On Feb. 12, Detective Bennie Williams of CSUDH telephoned the PCC Police Department to report that the previously stolen equipment had been returned to the CSUDH music department with an anonymous note attached. In the note, the unknown author admitted to stealing the equipment. On Feb. 16, Diaz positively identified the equipment as the same that Macias had in his home, said police.

Campus Police also said that on Feb. 16, they discovered previously stolen music equipment had been returned to the PCC music department with a similar note, and that Diaz was able to identify that equipment as well.

According to police, PCC police officers executed a search warrant on Macias' home on Feb. 23, and Campus Police interviewed Macias the next day. Macias admitted to being a student at PCC between 2006 and 2007 and that he transferred to CSUDH in 2007, said police.

Police say Macias admitted to stealing the equipment on three separate occasions and claimed that Diaz was present on two of the occasions and took part in the thefts. Macias also admitted to having an argument about the stolen equipment with Diaz and that he returned the stolen property to both campuses after his conscience began to bother him, said police.

Macias was arrested on three counts of first-degree burglary, police said.

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