Officers with the Irvine Police Department were performing what authorities called a “proactive check” on a former Marine Corps air station Friday when they found a makeshift living space containing a whole lot of allegedly stolen items.
In a post to social media, police said the alleged trespassers were at the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. The suspects decked out a room in the hangar complete with disco lights, a fog machine and what appeared to be a music recording studio along with more traditional home furniture like a couch and TV.
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Two people were arrested after allegedly creating a “makeshift living space” in the former Marine Air Station El Toro in Irvine. Several stolen items including bikes and airsoft rifles were found. (Irvine Police Department) -
Two people were arrested after allegedly creating a “makeshift living space” in the former Marine Air Station El Toro in Irvine. Several stolen items including bikes and airsoft rifles were found. (Irvine Police Department) -
Two people were arrested after allegedly creating a “makeshift living space” in the former Marine Air Station El Toro in Irvine. Several stolen items including bikes and airsoft rifles were found. (Irvine Police Department)
Car batteries powered all of the equipment inside, police said.
In addition to the night-club like atmosphere, there were several items inside the room, some allegedly stolen. They included 11 bicycles, numerous spools of copper wire, an illegal M-800 firework, personal property from Irvine residents, two airsoft rifles and drug paraphernalia.
Two Anaheim residents, 29-year-old Joshua Micheal Rosario and 53-year-old Patricia Lynn Ratliff, were arrested on warrants and other charges. Rosario was also arrested on suspicion of burglary and drug possession.
Irvine police said the pair had been cited or arrested “multiple times” before on suspicion of trespassing at El Toro.