Photo: Eduardo Manzo and stolen property
In Mid-May of 2019, Chowchilla was getting hit with multiple agricultural equipment thefts and after each theft, the property would end up for sale on Facebook. Madera County Sheriff’s Office tasked Ag Crimes Detective Adam McEwen to investigate the thefts, recover the stolen property, and identify the responsible parties.
The investigation reached a culmination on August 29th when Madera County Sheriff’s Office detectives, assisted by the Chowchilla Police Department and Merced County Sheriff’s Office, fulfilled a search warrant at a home on the 500 block of Colusa Avenue in Chowchilla. Detectives found evidence on the property linking the tenant, 30-year old Eduardo Manzo, to the thefts and Facebook listings.
Manzo managed one more day out of custody as he was not home at the time of the search but an arrest warrant was issued along with a B.O.L.O. (be on the lookout). The day after the search, Chowchilla Police Officer Thor phoned the Madera County Sheriff’s Office to inform Detectives that McEwen Manzo had been detained and arrested at a local Shell Gas Station.
Manzo was booked at the Madera County Department of Corrections. He was booked on the charges of burglary, receiving/transporting stolen property, and taking a vehicle without the owners consent. His bond is set at $100,000.
The investigation remains under way as detectives continue their attempt to recover stolen property. Above is a picture of the suspect and a piece of equipment still missing as of September 3rd 2019.
Photos from MCSO
