Burglary Suspects Arrested 

September 19, 2026 – Riverside County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on September 13, 2026, around 9:00 a.m., deputies from the Colorado River Station responded to the 14000 block of Hwy. 95 in the unincorporated area of Blythe regarding a burglary. Upon arrival, deputies learned that the location had been vandalized and multiple high-value items were stolen, including two high-performance jet boats.

During the investigation, deputies identified two suspects involved in the burglary. On September 14, 2026, with assistance from the San Bernardino County Auto Theft Task Force, deputies served a search warrant in the 27000 block of 9th Street in the city of Highland, where they took into custody the suspect, identified as Michael Dieffenbacher, a 49-year-old resident of Highland, without incident. During the search warrant service, deputies located several stolen vehicles on the property, including one of the stolen high-performance boats and additional items from the Blythe burglary. Dieffenbacher was booked into a San Bernardino County jail for burglary and additional felony charges.

On September 17, 2026, the San Bernardino County Auto Theft Task Force located the second suspect, identified as Christopher Edward McLemore, a 42-year-old resident of Highland, who was arrested and booked into jail in San Bernardino County on a warrant for the burglary. Both suspects will face charges for multiple crimes in both counties.

This is an ongoing investigation, and no further details will be released. Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Deputy Franco or Investigator Pfohlman at the Colorado River Station by calling 760-921-7900.

Reporting Supervisor: Sergeant Jeremy Klemp

File # A262560014

Source: Riverside County Sheriff’s Office