An Orange County sheriff's deputy arrested and facing charges after being caught on video burglarizing the home of a man who recently died.
NOW TO THE ORANGE COUNTYSHERIFF'S DEPUTY ARRESTED ANDFACING CHARGES AFTER BEINGCAUGHT ON VIDEO BURGLARIZINGTHE HOME OF A MAN WHO RECENTLYDIED...REPORTER TONY CABRERA HAS THELATEST -- INCLUDINGREACTION FROM THE SHERIFFTHERE...AN ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'SDEPUTY HAS BEEN ARRESTED ONALLEGATIONS HE BURGLARIZED THEHOME OF A MAN WHO HADRECENTLY DIED.DEPUTY STEVE HORTZ, A 12-YEARVETERAN OF THE ORANGE COUNTYSHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WASARRESTED THURSDAYMORNING AND BOOKED AT THE SANTAANA JAIL FOR BURGLARY.THE DEPARTMENT SAYS HORTZ WASTHE BACKUP DEPUTY ON JULY20 FOR A CALL TO THE YORBA LINDAHOME OF A MAN IN HIS 70S WHODIEDOF NATURAL CAUSES.A WEEK LATER HORTZ ALLEGEDLYRETURNED TO THE HOME IN UNIFORM.HOME SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWSHIM ENTERING THEBACK YARD AND BREAKING INTO THEUNOCCUPIED RESIDENCE.HE THEN ALLEGEDLY RETURNED INTHE EARLY MORNINGHOURS ON AUG.
10 AND AUG.
16 INCIVILIAN CLOTHING ANDREMOVED ITEMS FROM THE HOME,INCLUDING WEAPON SAFES,CEILING FANS, A RIFLE BAG ANDOTHER ITEMS.AN ATTORNEY FOR THE DECEASEDMAN'S FAMILY CONTACTED THEDEPARTMENT WEDNESDAY.
FAMILYMEMBERS HAD NOTICEDITEMS MISSING FROM THE HOME ANDREVIEWED SURVEILLANCEFOOTAGE.THEY DETERMINED IT APPEARED THATTHE SAME DEPUTY WHO VISITED THEHOME IN UNIFORM LATER RETURNEDTO COMMIT THE BURGLARIES."HE DOES NOT DESERVE TO WORK INTHIS PROFESSIONANYMORE," SAID ORANGE COUNTYSHERIFF DON BARNES.
"HE'SEMBARRASSED THIS PROFESSION.HE'S EMBARRASSEDTHIS ORGANIZATION.
AND HE'SEMBARRASSEDTHE ALMOST 4,000 MEMBERS WHO DOGOOD WORK EVERY DAY."HORTZ WAS PLACED ONADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE.INVESTIGATORS ARE LOOKING ATOTHER CALLS THE DEPUTY HANDLEDTO SEE IF THERE MAY HAVE BEENOTHER INCIDENTS.THAT WAS TONY CABRERAREPORTING...
An Orange County sheriff's deputy has been arrested on suspicion of burglary, the O.C. Sheriff's Department said Thursday.