Police: Palm Desert Theft Victim Spots Man Using Stolen Backpack

A man who is accused of being in possession of someone's backpack stolen from an unlocked car in Palm Desert was behind bars Friday, police said.

What's more— police say it was the victim of the theft that spotted the suspect around town, using the item, that led to his arrest.

According to sheriff's Sgt. Brad Farwell, the theft had first been reported around 6 a.m. in the 46600 block of Desert Lily Drive, but the reporting person didn't have any suspect information to give police.

But about two hours later, that person apparently spotted someone carrying the familiar backpack.

"At 7:43 a.m., the victim of the theft noticed a white male adult walking in the area of Cook Street and Highway 111 carrying the victim's stolen backpack," Farwell said.

Palm Desert and Indian Wells police responded to the area, but when the man— identified as 20-year-old Dominick Longo— saw authorities, he ran, according to Farwell.

He jumped a wall into the Desert Horizons Country Club, but police set up a perimeter and located him "a short time later," Farwell said.

"Longo was arrested for possession of stolen property and violation of probation," he said.  "Longo was booked into the Riverside County Jail located in the city of Indio."

According to jail records, Longo also has pending charges of burglary and vehicle theft.  He remained jailed on $25,000 bail as of Friday afternoon.