Through their investigation, detectives identified 42-year-old Jose Jesus Zermeno as the suspect who entered the back yard of a residence in the 6700 block of Harbor Avenue and stole five exotic birds from separate birdcages. Zermeno was observed on video climbing over the fence into the backyard, opening cages, removing the birds and handing them over the fence to a second suspect. Zermeno remains outstanding.
Through continued efforts, detectives were able to identify the second suspect as 31-year-old Gerardo Jose Victoria of Long Beach, who was taken into custody on June 10, in the 800 block of E. Pacific Coast Highway. Victoria was booked for grand theft and possession for sales, and he was held on $40,000 bail at the Long Beach City Jail. He was arraigned in Long Beach Superior Court on Sept. 8 and held to answer on the above charges. He is due back in court on Nov. 3, for trial proceedings. A third unidentified suspect who drove a red Ford Ranger truck, the means of transportation the suspects used to commit the crime and flee, also remains outstanding.
Zermeno is a male Hispanic, approximately 5′ 3″ with a medium build. Anyone who may have information regarding his whereabouts, or the identity/whereabouts of the third suspect who drove the truck, is asked to contact the Long Beach Police Department’s Burglary Detail at (562) 570-7351. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus the tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting lacrimestoppers.org .
