Juvenile Suspect Allegedly Caught Burglarizing Vehicle in Petaluma
Petaluma Police recently arrested a juvenile suspect in connection with an alleged vehicle burglary.
According to a department press release, officers responded to a call of a burglary in progress in the early morning hours of August 17. The caller reported that one of their family members had alerted them to an unknown person inside their vehicle, allegedly removing items from the glove box and center console.
The suspect eventually spotted the family member and fled the vehicle. The suspect then allegedly lifted their shirt and removed something from their waistband, which the victim’s family member reportedly said looked like a firearm.
Officers responded to the area within minutes of the report and detained the suspect without incident a block away from the scene.
Though no firearm was found on the suspect, police brought in K-9 Officer Pinky to search for any firearms that may have been discarded. Officer Pinky, a 15-month-old Labrador pointer mix trained exclusively to detect explosives, firearms, and ammunition, reportedly did not find any firearms in the area.
The suspect was identified as a 17-year-old juvenile from Lakeport. They were later booked at the Sonoma County Juvenile Detention Facility on suspicion of vehicle tampering.
Due to the suspect’s age, their identity has not been publicly disclosed.
All persons arrested on suspicion of a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
