NOVATO – A NRT (Novato Response Team) Officer observed a man acting suspiciously at a park-and-ride lot near Atherton Avenue and Binford Road at approximately 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night. The officer saw the man enter a vehicle and drive it away.
The officer then followed the vehicle and then stopped it in the vicinity of Chase St. and Olive Avenue for a traffic violation. During the stop the NRT officer determined that the suspect had stolen the vehicle.
Darbin Duarte, a 27-year-old resident of north Novato was arrested and booked into Marin County Jail on June 18 for vehicle theft. Open charges include; burglary, taking a vehicle without owners consent, receiving known stolen property, possession of burglary tools, failure to stop at limit lane and excessive speed. Bail is set at $50,000.
Duarte has an extensive recent history with law enforcement. In 2013, while listed as a resident of Vallejo, he was arrested in September for possession of narcotics and paraphernalia and for driving without a license. In November he was picked up for vehicle theft and possession of stolen property and burglary tools. In December, on the 2nd, he was charged with a similar list of offenses to this week’s incident, including vehicle theft, possession of stolen property and burglary tools, possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia, driving without a valid license, resisting arrest, and failure to appear for his previous arrest court date.
