Live Oak Man Arrested for Grand Theft

Suspect had a Cache of Weapons

LIVE OAK—Detectives with the Santa Cruz Police Department arrested Live Oak resident 54-year-old Nicholas Charles Yukich after an investigation revealed that he was the mastermind in an elaborate grand theft plot.

Nicholas Yukich

On Friday May 24, detectives served a search warrant on a mobile home on Mattison Lane at the Beachcomber Mobile Home Park in the unincorporated area of Live Oak.  Police served the warrant as part of an ongoing grand theft investigation.

Santa Cruz Authorities learned about the plot through informants.  Through their investigation they discovered that Yukich had being planning the heist for months by using reconnaissance and surveillance on the intended targets.

Yukich also attempted to recruit other individuals into his scheme.  During the search of his mobile home detectives uncovered numerous weapons, 48 in all, including assault rifles, shotguns and handguns.

Confiscated guns

More confiscated guns…

…And more guns…

…and finally even more guns

They also discovered over 50,000 rounds of ammunition and some high-capacity magazines.  The ammunition is believed to be that of the armor piercing variety, which is illegal in California. Most of the weapons seized are believed to be illegal to own in California.

“Our detectives are continuing to go over the cache of weapons ammunition found in the mobile home,” Deputy Chief of Police Steve Clark reported. “We still are classifying the firearms and ammunition.”

The Santa Cruz Police Department has called in the United States Department of Justice, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for assistance in this case.

Yukich was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit grand theft, and grand theft and possession of assault weapons.  His bail has been set at 500,000.00 dollars.  Additional charges are pending.

Read More:

ABC7: Santa Cruz Police Arrest Crime Plot Mastermind

KSBW: Live Oak Man had 48 Guns in Mobile Homes