Suspect in The Hill Burglaries Arrested

Seal Beach police on Friday arrested an 18-year-old Long Beach man believed to be behind a recent string of burglaries on The Hill in Seal Beach.

Christian Castellanos-Leiva is being charged with two counts of residential burglary. He is currently in custody on $50,000 bail.

The case began when a resident reported a suspicious person in The Hill neighborhood between Pacific Coast Highway and the police station.

“Police were initially unable to locate the suspect, but their persistence paid off,” Sgt. Ron La Velle said in a written release.

The officers located Castellanos-Leiva near his home and were able to uncover information linking him to at least two residential burglaries in Seal Beach, according to La Velle.

The Hill recently experienced a rash of residential burglaries, and police have been warning residents to be cautious and vigilant.

“This arrest occurred largely because a resident was astute enough to notice something amiss in the neighborhood,” La Velle said. “Residents should remain vigilant, as the investigation is ongoing. Police are working to determine if there are any outstanding suspects.”

Anyone with any information regarding these incidents is encouraged to call Detective Gary Krogman at (562) 799-4100 ext. 1108.