A Morongo Valley man was arrested Wednesday, accused of stealing his neighbor’s shipping container and a travel trailer. According to the Sheriff’s Department, the 53-year-old victim called the Sheriff’s Department September 18 to report the theft of a 40-foot shipping container and a 20-foot Komfort travel trailer from his property in the 9000 block of Desert Willow Trail in Morongo Valley. The investigation led detectives to a property in the 53000 block of Cielito Drive in Pioneertown, where they contacted a 47-year-old man who said he purchased the shipping container from James Newberry, 50 of Morongo Valley, and he produced a “bill of sale.” Deputies then contacted Newberry at his home in the 8500 block of Desert Willow Trail in Morongo Valley, and found the stolen travel trailer in Newberry’s yard. James Newberry was arrested for investigation of theft by false pretenses, booked into the Morongo Basin Jail, and is being held without bail due to a probation violation. The stolen shipping container and travel trailer, valued at about $3200, were returned to the rightful owner.
