Officer's responded to the 1700 block of Yosemite Park Way and were told by witnesses that a man drove up to the gate in a tan Ford Explorer, according to a police department press release. The man was then said to have driven off after the witnesses confronted him. The vehicle was then spotted by Sgt.
Tom Trindad at 18th and K streets. Inside of the vehicle was Kyle Garcia, 20, from Merced and two other occupants. Police said they asked Garcia why he had chosen a car lot to "try out" the bolt cutters, and he replied that it was the first chain he saw after getting the bolt cutters.
He told police that he wanted to steal the chain, but was scared off by witnesses. Police also located two sets of car keys in Garcia's pocket which did not belong to him. He told police he had found the keys in a mall parking lot.
Inside the Ford Explorer, police also found a stolen circular saw from a car burglary that occurred March 28 at a Home Depot parking lot. Garcia denied ownership of the saw. Garcia then reportedly changed his mind and told officers the property was his, but he knew it was stolen from the area of Home Depot.
He also reportedly told police that the rest of the property in the car -- which included a stereo which belonged to him -- was stolen as well. Garcia was booked into Merced County Jail at 1:16 a.m.
on charges of possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools and vandalism. -- Victor A. Patton
-- Shell for SiteCatalyst code version: F.1 Copyright 2002 Omniture, Inc.
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