Car break-ins in Sonoma – The Press Democrat

Sonoma police have received numerous reports of grand larceny, most likely the result of the investigation into a series of thefts in downtown Sonoma, police Sergeant Scott McKinnon told the Index-Tribune.

After months of investigation, police are still searching for missing stolen items.

“I have a good feeling that’s why we’ve just had this huge surge in theft reports,” McKinnon said.

The thefts in the valley were reported through the police online portal after police arrested a suspect on June 20 and discovered a storage shed full of stolen items, including benches and tables.

McKinnon said the apparent increase in thefts in police reports was likely due to residents reporting stolen items in recent months to see if they had been found.

Although a suspect has been arrested and much of the property has been seized, police are still searching for stolen items and the owners of the stolen property.

Sonoma resident Michael Paul Chilton was arrested on June 20 and charged with nine separate counts of theft, burglary and possession of stolen property.

After the arrest, Police Chief Brandon Cutting told the Index-Tribune that there were believed to be multiple victims whose identities police had not yet determined and that no items had been found.

Cutting urged people to report any thefts from their homes, businesses and properties as soon as they are discovered.

Vehicle thefts

On June 24, two vehicles were broken into in Sonoma between 5 and 7 p.m., police said. One break-in resulted in an estimated $200 in damage and $500 in vehicle damage. No items were stolen from the other vehicle.

Sonoma Police were called to the 100 block of West 1st St. for a report of a car theft by Arnold Field. The victim said someone smashed the rear passenger window and cracked the driver’s window of his Ford F150.

A wallet valued at $200 was stolen. The victim said he parked at Arnold Field around 5 p.m. to watch baseball and discovered damage around 7 p.m.

McKinnon said officers were able to capture video footage but were unable to identify suspects due to the quality of the surveillance.

Another car theft was reported on the evening of June 24, when a woman attending a yoga class discovered the driver’s window of her 2018 Toyota RAV4 had been smashed. Nothing was reported stolen from the vehicle, police said.

The car was parked in the 700 block of West Napa Street between 5:18 p.m. and 7:04 p.m. McKinnon said no video surveillance was conducted at the time, nor were any suspects spotted.

You can reach editor Emma Molloy at [email protected].