Suspect Arrested in Connection to Thefts at Forest Service Base
FRESNO – The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man they believe is responsible for repeated burglaries at a U.S. Forest Service base in eastern Fresno County since the end of last year.
Stephen Bookwalter, 30, is suspected of being involved in the burglaries at the helitac base on Maxon Road near Trimmer Springs Road. The sheriff’s office says there are more suspects and there may be mores arrests in the case.
The first burglary happened in November of last year when more than $20,000 of property – including chainsaws, shop tools and equipment – was stolen from the base. Two days later, a television and assemblies from rifles worth more than $23,000 were stolen.
The suspects struck yet again in January of this year when they vandalized an employee’s vehicle at the base, stole another employee’s truck, and stole gasoline. Forest Service employees spotted the stolen truck two weeks ago parked at a home on the 12500 block of East Ashlan Avenue. When detectives later searched the home, they found several additional stolen items.
During the search, detectives also recovered stolen property – including three motorcycles, a shotgun, and a quad runner – from commercial burglaries on East Shields Avenue.
Bookwalter was arrested at the home on Ashlan Avenue and is being charged with commercial burglary, possession of stolen property, vehicle theft and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
