Burglar Found Hiding In SWR Home Depot Box Sentenced

MURRIETA, CA — A convicted felon who forced his way into a Lake Elsinore Home Depot under surveillance by sheriff's deputies was sentenced Friday to 20 months in jail.

Daniel Robert Turkmany, 34, of Lake Elsinore pleaded guilty in August to burglary and vandalism for the May break-in at the Collier Avenue store.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge John Monterosso imposed the sentence stipulated by the prosecution and defense.

On Aug. 15, Turkmany's co-defendant, 46-year-old Michael Christopher Wood, also of Lake Elsinore, admitted a felony vandalism charge and was sentenced to two years, eight months in jail.

According to sheriff's Sgt. Glenn Warrington, deputies were assigned to surveillance at the big box outlet due to "multiple commercial burglaries" over a monthlong period.

Warrington said that about 1 a.m. on May 6, the team observed two men - - Turkmany and Wood -- approach the chain-link fence around the perimeter of the Home Depot garden center and cut through it.

Additional deputies were summoned and surrounded the location. Warrington said Wood was caught standing at the fence with burglary tools. He was taken into custody without a struggle.

However, deputies could not immediately find Turkmany, and a K9 unit was deployed to flush him out, according to the sergeant.

He said that roughly an hour later, the sheriff's canine uncovered the probationer trying to conceal himself in a box atop one of the racks above the garden center.

The defendant was arrested without incident. No one was injured.

According to court records, Turkmany had several prior convictions for possession of controlled substances, as well as shoplifting, theft and possession of brass knuckles.

Court records show Wood had priors for first-degree burglary, possession of controlled substances, possession of a switchblade and receiving stolen property.

— By City News Service