Thieves in a Penske truck attempt to rob commercial marijuana cultivator in High Desert

A group of thieves tried to rob a commercial marijuana cultivator early Tuesday in Adelanto, then attempted to escape sheriff’s deputies in a yellow Penske moving truck they’d planned to use for the heist, authorities said.

About 2:37 a.m., the alarm went off at High Caliber Organics, 16176 Beaver Road. The business owner called the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department after being contacted by his alarm company. Remotely viewing inside the business via security cameras, he saw six to eight suspects, possibly armed, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

When deputies arrived, several suspects got into the Penske truck, and the driver sped through a partially open gate toward a deputy, who shot at the driver, authorities said. A bullet struck the truck on the driver’s side.

The driver kept going, beginning a five-mile pursuit through the streets of Adelanto, then bringing the vehicle to a stop on Panther Avenue near Jay Street. The driver ran away and has not been located.

Two passengers, Vilma Ojeda and Dalia Lopez, were detained at the end of the pursuit, according to authorities.

Authorities found preliminary information to suggest that multiple vehicles and suspects were involved in the burglary. Marijuana and other stolen items were found inside the Penske truck’s cargo area.

The identities of the driver and other suspects are unknown.

Authorities say no one was injured during the incident. Ojeda and Lopez were booked at High Desert Detention Center on suspicion of burglary.

High Caliber Organics is a “fully licensed cultivation and distribution company with a 30,000 square foot facility” in Adelanto, according to its Weedmaps page.