12/29/16 - Around 12:30 am Thursday, detectives with Fresno HEAT arrested 37 year old Rodney Keck of Fresno.
He was found at a residence on the 2200 block of W. Princeton Ave. in Fresno. He has been booked in to the Fresno County Jail on charges of auto theft, burglary and receiving stolen property. His bail has been set at $53,500.
We would like to thank the public and the media for working together with us on this case. Various tips from the coverage of the burglary is what ultimately lead HEAT detectives to find Keck and take him into custody.
12/27/16 - Detectives with the Fresno HEAT (Help Eliminate Auto Theft) Task Force have booked Michelle Melikian, 31, of Clovis into the Fresno County Jail. She is facing charges of auto theft, burglary, receiving stolen property and a probation violation. Her bail is set at $97,500. The probation violation is not eligible for bail.
On the afternoon of December 22, 2016, a burglary occurred at a home on the 2500 block of W. Bullard Ave. in Fresno. Surveillance cameras captured two people arrive at the home in a Nissan SUV. They broke into the garage and stole approximately $2,500 worth of Christmas gifts that were inside. The following day, the video was posted to several social media sites and aired on local news stations. Detectives with Fresno HEAT recognized the suspects in the video and identified them as 31 year old Michelle Melikian and 37 year old Rodney Keck. Detectives began to pursue leads to find them.
On Saturday, officers found the suspect’s SUV, which was abandoned in a canal near Belmont and Hughes. A check of the vehicle’s records showed it was stolen from out of state.
On Tuesday, members of Fresno HEAT went to a home on the 2700 block of W. San Carlos Ave. in Fresno. They had information that one or both of the suspects was staying there. Detectives contacted Melikian and took her into custody. Keck was not found. Detectives searched the home and discovered many items believed to have been stolen. This included a small fire pit and a Barbie accessory kit, which belonged to the victim at the W. Bullard address.
The investigation also shows the house on W. San Carlos was vacated by a renter a few weeks ago. After which, Melikian took it upon herself to break in and make it her home. She also allowed two other people to move in and began charging them rent.
If you have additional information on Michelle Melikian or know the whereabouts of Rodney Keck, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at (559) 600-3111 or call Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-STOP (7867). You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.
***HEAT is comprised of members from the California Highway Patrol, Fresno County Sheriff's Office (FCSO), the National Insurance Crime Bureau and Clovis Police Department.
