Kings County Authorities Interrupt Alleged Property Theft; Suspect Arrested After Pursuit
Above: Eduardo Gallardo
Photo courtesy of Kings County Sheriff’s Office
An individual was recently arrested for alleged property theft after leading deputies on a vehicle pursuit in Kings County.
In a press release, the county Sheriff’s Office identified Eduardo Gallardo, 40, as the individual apprehended after a law enforcement vehicle pursuit on the night of Monday, February 26.
Earlier that night, deputies had responded to a property on Racine Avenue in Corcoran, which had been experiencing frequent thefts resulting in thousands of dollars in losses for the property owners, to investigate a report of a suspicious vehicle. Deputies responded just as three men were loading a Chevrolet Silverado with property and a quad.
Deputies radioed for assistance for a patrol truck and Ag Crimes detectives due to the rugged terrain. As detectives arrived, the suspect vehicle reportedly accelerated toward the main entrance of the property. A deputy had already positioned themselves there and deployed a spike strip to try to neutralize the vehicle. The suspects were nonetheless able to disconnect the trailer attached to the truck and continue fleeing, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The pursuit, which occasionally reached speeds of 80 miles per hour, eventually continued through Tipton and Tulare County. At one point, the driver reportedly dropped one of the three suspects off at an orchard near Avenue 184 and Road 96, before finally bringing the vehicle to a stop at a homeless encampment on Prine Drive just southwest of Tulare.
Law enforcement soon thereafter apprehended Gallardo, who had fled to a tent in the encampment. The second and third suspects managed to evade capture.
Gallardo was later booked on suspicion of felony theft, as well as five outstanding warrants for felony and misdemeanor charges. His bail was set at $125,000. The quad and suspect vehicle were impounded as evidence.
The other two suspects have yet to be identified and remain at large. Anyone with information on their identities, or anything relevant to the case, is encouraged to reach out to the Kings County Sheriff’s Office Ag Crimes Unit at 559-852-4643.
