$50K bail for duo arrested for theft and burglary

Following their arrest, two individuals involved in recent burglary and theft incidents appeared before the NMI Superior Court in Susupe yesterday.

Facing charges of burglary, theft, and conspiracy to commit both crimes, Associate Judge Teresa Kim-Tenorio issued a $25,000 cash bail each for both individuals, Shawn Reyes, 33, of Susupe, and Cherie Marie Delos Santos, 28, of Finasisu.

Both Delos Santos and Reyes’ preliminary hearing is set for Sept 25 at 9am, and arraignment on Oct. 7 at 9am. Public defense attorneys were selected for the two with Vince Seman representing Delos Santos and Emily Thomsen for Reyes. The CNMI government will be represented by assistant attorney general Heather Barcinas.

According to court documents officers responded to a reported burglary and theft incident around 6:35pm on Sept. 12, 2024. The incident had occurred at a residence in Susupe.

Upon arrival officers learned from the victim that two DJI drones worth $2,000 each, hand and power tools valued around $1,420, two car batteries in the amount of $220, and luggage with personal documents were stolen.

On the same day at 2:44pm, police officers met with Delos Santos who confessed to a burglary and theft incident as well as a theft of gas from vehicles that occurred on Sept. 12, 2024. After Delos Santos waived her rights to an attorney, Delos Santos did a walkthrough with officers showing where and how she and Reyes stole gas from vehicles. Delos Santos showed the officer and detective to the victim’s residence in Susupe surrounded by a chain link fence.

Delos Santos dated that on Sept. 12, 2024 at around 12pm, Reyes told her to drop him off at the victim’s house. Reyes also added that she parked by the boonies next to the victim’s residence and waited, which she did. Delos Santos said that about an hour later, he came and told her to pick him up at the front of the victim’s house and she did. Reyes met her at the front with two luggage-full of items which they loaded into the car. Delos Santos said that they left the victim’s house and they unloaded the luggage at their friend’s house in Susupe and they both went through the stolen items.

Reyes told Delos Santos to drop him back to the victim’s house again to take the other stuff.

She told officers that Reyes refused to enter the victim’s house because there was after-school traffic from Mount Carmel School, and later that afternoon when traffic was clear Delos Santos dropped off Reyes back to the victim’s house, where he loaded into her car more stolen items in Dial Rent-to-Own handbags.

The documents further state that on Sept. 13, 2024 at 4:49am, a K9 officer made a violator stop on a silver Honda Civic sedan, the same vehicle operated by Delos Santos and passenger Reyes. When the two consented for a search of their vehicle, the officer recovered the stolen property belonging to the victim along with the victim’s wallet and ID cards. Inside Delos Santos’ car there was also a gallon of gas stored away in the vehicle.

The stolen items were procured as evidence from Delos Santos’ car. On the same day at 4:33pm, the victim arrived at the Criminal Investigation Bureau office and made a positive identification on his stolen property, adding that this is his third time he had been victimized by thieves.

Delos Santos also led officers to a location in Finasisu where Reyes stole gas from a parked van. Officers were able to confirm the incident from surveillance footage showing Reyes under the van and gas container next to him. Delos Santos also showed officers another vehicle from which Reyes stole gas, which was confirmed by the car owner’s report.

Delos Santos continued to show officers more, leading them to one residence in As Lito where a water blaster had been stolen. When officers spoke with the victim, they confirmed the incident.

Both Delos Santos and Reyes were arrested on Monday, Sept. 16.

A bail modification request is currently pending for Delos Santos, but until then she and Reyes are remanded back to the Department of Corrections.