Six suspects, including Fontana resident, arrested for allegedly stealing $23,510 worth of Freon

Six suspects, including a Fontana resident, were arrested for allegedly stealing 50 cylinders of Freon valued at $23,510, according to the Rialto Police Department.

Between June 26 and July 2, five AutoZone employees and one former AutoZone employee were involved in the alleged theft, the Rialto P.D. said in a Facebook post on Sept. 23.

Police said that fraudulent company paperwork was created by the employees, then taken to another AutoZone in the City of Riverside, where they successfully tricked the Riverside employees to release the Freon. The Freon was taken and intended to be resold by the employees, police said.

The six employees involved in this investigation have since been terminated from employment, and were booked into West Valley Detention Center for various charges, with a bail amount of $50,000 each.  They were identified as:

• Mike Santamaria-Rodriguez, 24, Riverside -- charged with grand theft, attempted grand theft, conspiracy to commit grand theft, embezzlement, and forgery.

• Jason Santamaria, 21, Riverside -- charged with grand theft, conspiracy to commit grand theft, embezzlement, and forgery.

• Jacob Ramirez, 19, Fontana -- charged with grand theft, conspiracy to commit grand theft, and embezzlement.

• Ivan Bautista, 19, San Bernardino -- charged with grand theft, conspiracy to commit grand theft, and embezzlement.

• Brian Bautista, 23, San Bernardino -- charged with attempted grand theft and conspiracy to commit grand theft.

• Christopher Garcia, 23, Rialto -- charged with grand theft, conspiracy to commit grand theft, embezzlement, and forgery.