A Fairfield man is in custody for the alleged theft of an $8,000 electrical transformer from a business on the northern outskirts of Vacaville around 7 am the morning of Tuesday, June 24.
An observant employee of a nearby business located in the 800 block of Eubanks Drive noticed the suspect – later identified as Lanh Truong, 30 of Fairfield, – driving away from the crime scene in a silver Dodge Durango pickup truck. Truong had somehow loaded the 1,000 pound transformer into the truck bed.
Upon receiving the tip, Vacaville PD radio dispatchers issued a BOLO (“be on the lookout”) for the vehicle. Within minutes a Vacaville PD detective caught sight of the Dodge Durango rolling southbound on Interstate 505 in the vicinity of Vaca Valley Parkway.
At about 7:21 am, Truong stopped his vehicle and rolled the transformer out of the Durango’s truck bed. The transformer, apparently undamaged, landed in a roadside ditch.
The detective radioed for assistance as Truong drove off. With officers in hot pursuit, Truong sped into Browns Valley. Eventually, as the police pursuers closed in, Truong swerved into a field near Vacaville Fire Station 73 right next to Vaca Valley Parkway and jumped out. He ran on through the field but soon was nabbed without any more trouble.
Truong landed in Solano County Jail on charges of grand theft and felony evading. Truong had been arrested in April of this year as well, on charges of petty theft, possession of burglary tools, and stolen property. In 2013 he was twice arrested, for attempted vandalism, along with petty theft, trespassing, and conspiracy.
