South Lake Tahoe Residents Arrested in Douglas County Burglary

Three South Lake Tahoe residents were arrested Friday and stolen property was recovered after law officers found them attempting to burglarize a home at the Valley Crest Estates in north Douglas County, authorities said.

Taken into custody and facing burglary charges are Jeffrey Lee Stephens, 44, Rene Winters, 45, and Joseph Alan Winters, 48. The arrests were made as part of an ongoing joint agency criminal investigation involving Douglas County investigators, detectives from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, said Douglas County Sgt. Jim Halsey.

Authorities disrupted the attempted residential burglary in progress after the suspects allegedly attempted forced entry into a Valley Crest Estates home. The suspects were in the process of burglarizing the residence when investigators and patrol officers arrived on scene and placed them under arrest.

The investigation has so far revealed that the suspects may be responsible for other residential burglaries committed throughout the region. The suspects were driving a white 2000 Ford Explorer.

Investigators are continuing their investigation to determine each of the suspect’s individual involvement in the burglaries.

Anyone who has seen the suspects or their vehicle in their neighborhood, or been contacted by them, is asked to call DCSO Investigators Ted Duzan or John Preston at (775) 782-9905.