San Francisco man arrested for multiple thefts at Sea Ranch, including custom-made redwood pew from chapel

(KRON) — The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has arrested the man believed to be behind a string of thefts in the Sea Ranch community, the SCSO announced Tuesday. Among the items stolen was a redwood bench from the Sea Ranch Chapel.

Sea Ranch is located about 43 miles north of Bodega Bay on Highway 1. It has been the target of several break-ins and thefts in recent months, the sheriff’s office said.

The Resident Coast Deputy in charge of the Sea Ranch area worked with SCSO detectives and residents to identify a suspect. Another suspected theft occurred on May 30th when the deputy saw an empty house with the door open.

Shortly thereafter, the deputy located the suspect, 29-year-old Zachary Alexander Ball of San Francisco. A search warrant for Ball’s car and Sea Ranch revealed evidence linking him to several thefts, the SCSO said.

The next day, the deputy and his K-9 partner drove to San Francisco to execute a search warrant at Ball’s girlfriend’s home. According to the sheriff’s office, he found items stolen from Sea Ranch.

The beloved stolen bench was found in Ball’s girlfriend’s house. It had been missing since November 2023.

Ball is in jail on $150,000 bail after being arrested on the following charges:

• 7 cases of burglary (serious crime)
• 7 cases of aggravated theft (felony)
• 2 cases of possession of stolen goods (felony, misdemeanor)
• Possession of tear gas by a felon (felony)
• Possession of burglary tools (misdemeanor)
• Possession of controlled substance paraphernalia (misdemeanor)