Suspect Arrested in Connection With 10 Balboa Island Burglaries

A Newport Beach man suspected of burglarizing at least 10 Balboa Island businesses over the past couple of weeks was arrested early Wednesday morning, authorities said.

Investigators, who had been staking out several locations along Marine Avenue, observed Wilbert B. Long Jr., 18, walking in a nearby alley and stopped him for questioning about 1 a.m. Wednesday, Newport Beach Lt. Tim Newman said.

“Based on what the investigators found on him and his own statements, he was arrested in connection with at least 10 burglaries in the area,” he said, adding that two nearby stores had been robbed just before Long’s arrest.

Long is an unemployed construction worker who lives on the 300 block of Marine Avenue, where most of the burglaries occurred over the past couple of weeks, Newman said.

Long was arrested on suspicion of burglary and was being held in Newport Beach City Jail on $10,000 bail.

Investigators suspect Long of entering small stores, primarily through windows, and stealing money from cash registers. Several hundreds of dollars have been stolen from the businesses, Newman said. Long was found with cash believed stolen from two stores on Agate Avenue just before his arrest, Newman said.