Thursday, August 16, 2012

Sheriff Dept Press release re:Two Stockton Men Arrested for Possession of Stolen Property

(Valley Springs, CA) On 08/15/12 at approx. 11:39 PM Calaveras Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a residence on the 4700 block of Driver Road in Valley Springs for a possible burglary in progress. Prior to the deputy’s arrival the suspect vehicle left the house travelling westbound on Highway 26. Once at the scene the deputy contacted the reporting party, a neighbor of the victim residence, who provided a description of the suspects (two Caucasian adult men) and the suspect vehicle, a red 2002 Ford Escort. As the investigation continued at the residence another deputy continued on Highway 26 and was able to catch up to the suspect vehicle, which continued west on Highway 26 towards Stockton. With the assistance of the California Highway Patrol and San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Deputies, a traffic stop was conducted on the suspect vehicle near Jack Tone Road and Highway 26. At the time of the stop the vehicle exterior was completely loaded down with $500 worth of miscellaneous scrap metal.



A Calaveras Sheriff’s deputy interviewed the vehicle’s driver, Stephen Devin Jeffery (28) of Stockton and the passenger, Charles Bradford Strelow-Raney (32) of Stockton. Arrestee Strelow-Raney told the deputy that while driving back to Stockton from Glencoe they passed the victim residence. As they drove by he and Suspect Jeffrey saw the scrap metal lying about in front of the house. Thinking that the house was abandoned they thought it was okay that they take the metal without permission. They said that they never entered the house.

The deputies learned that the house was vacant and up for sale. They contacted the real estate company, who provided the contact information for the owner of the residence. The owner stated that no one had permission to be at the house or to remove anything from the property, and wished to pursue criminal charges against the suspects.

Both suspects were arrested, transported and booked into the Calaveras County jail on the charge of Penal Code 496: Possession of Stolen Property >$400.00 (felony).