Alleged car thief snagged in Atascadero Alleged car thief snagged in Atascadero

Atascadero Police arrested a San Luis Obispo man after a brief chase Sunday night.

Lowrie's erratic behavior led to his arrest on drug and auto theft charges

Police say they were responding to a call on the 8800 block of El Camino Real around 10 p.m. The call, according to a press release, was a complaint of a suspicious person knocking on the window of an unidentified residence.

Police say a witness, who claimed not to know the suspect, gave police a description of the man. According to APD, officers soon located the suspect at a gas station at Montecito Avenue and East Front Street.

Police say that when an officer approached the suspect, he fled on foot but was captured soon after near Santa Rosa Road.

Russell Craig Lowrie, 29, of San Luis Obispo was taken into custody and admitted to officers he was in possession of methamphetamine.

Police soon learned Lowrie was responsible for the theft of a vehicle from the SLO area. He drove it to Atascadero and police located it a nearby parking lot.

Lowrie also admitted to stealing the vehicle, according to APD.

Lowrie was charged on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, and possession of a stolen vehicle. He was booked into county jail with a $20,000 bail.

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