On Friday night, a suspect in an Irvine Police “Felony Friday” case decided to “shop” again at a Spectrum apartment package room. However, a resident who follows the IPD on social media recognized the suspect from the earlier post and called the IPD.
IPD police officers quickly flushed out the area and found Paloma Corona, 52, of Irvine, with stolen property. Surprisingly, toilet paper was once again one of the items she was stealing. Isn’t toilet paper hoarding supposed to be over?
Before taking Corona into custody, officers shared the Felony Friday video with her.
She was taken “downtown” to the Orange County Jail, where she was booked on burglary charges.
In California, someone like Paloma Corona—accused of repeatedly stealing packages and charged with burglary—could face serious consequences. Here’s a plain text breakdown of the potential penalties:
- Burglary Charges: If she entered a locked apartment package room intending to steal, that’s considered second-degree burglary. This is a “wobbler,” meaning it can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony.
- As a misdemeanor, the penalty could be up to 1 year in county jail.
- As a felony, she could face 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in jail.
- Repeat Offender Status: If she has prior theft-related convictions, California law allows for tougher penalties. A person with three theft convictions in three years could face up to 3 years in jail.
- Organized Theft or Serial Offenses: If her actions are considered part of a pattern or organized theft, prosecutors may push for felony charges and longer sentences—especially under recent laws aimed at cracking down on property crime.
- Restitution and Fines: She may also be ordered to pay restitution to victims and face fines.
- Permanent Record: A felony burglary conviction would stay on her criminal record and could affect housing, employment, and other opportunities.