Two stolen vehicles were recovered in Piedmont over three days with two suspects arrested in each incident.
The first happened at 3 a.m. on October 15. The city’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system recorded a hit on a 2004 Chevrolet Silverado at St. James Drive and Park Blvd. When officers arrived, they found a male walking on the sidewalk on St. James. They then found the vehicle parked on the corner of St. James and Croydon Circle with another person in the passenger seat, according to Piedmont Police Captain Chris Monahan.
The two were arrested and taken to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. The suspected driver was booked for vehicle theft as well as receiving the stolen vehicle, misappropriation of lost property and three out of county warrants. The passenger was booked for vehicle theft and knowingly taking a controlled substance into a jail.
At 6:41 a.m. on October 17, a Piedmont Police officer stopped a 1998 Toyota Camry because the reflective material on its license plate had been erased. When the officer contacted the driver, he observed burglary tools “commonly used to steal catalytic converters,” according to Captain Monahan. The Piedmont Police Department dispatch advised the officer that the vehicle had been reported stolen out of San Leandro.
Records were then checked on the driver and his passenger. The driver was on probation for gun possession and evading police. The passenger had an outstanding misdemeanor bench warrant. According to Captain Monahan, the two were searched and each was found to have a glass pipe and the passenger was found with a substance believed to be black tar heroin.
A search of the vehicle turned up a Sawzall, eight used blades, a heavy duty floor jack, a jack stand, an impact gun and impact sockets. The officer also observed the passenger had a head-mounted flashlight.
The two were taken to Santa Rita Jail. The driver was booked for possession of a stolen vehicle, probation violations, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, conspiracy, drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license. The passenger was booked for possession of narcotics, paraphernalia, conspiracy, possession of burglary tools and the misdemeanor warrant.
A 2021 Ford F550 pickup was stolen from Wildwood Avenue around 4:30 p.m. on October 17. The windows had been left open and the key was in the ignition. A witness said they saw two vehicles pull up alongside the Ford F550. One was a green Toyota Highlander and the other was a black Audi Q5, according to Captain Monahan. Two suspects got out of the vehicles and began stealing items from the truck. One then got into the truck and drove it off with the other two vehicles.
A total of four unknown suspects are at large. One was described as wearing gray pants.
The owner of the truck located it about four hours later in Oakland.