Sonora PD Press release re:Arrest In Stolen Motorized Shopping Cart

27 February 2013, at approx. 12:59 am, an Officer observed a subject driving a Safeway motorized shopping cart westbound on the 800 block of Mono Way. The Officer recognized the operator from prior contacts as being John Mathews, 77 of Columbia.
The Officer contacted Mathews about the Safeway motorized shopping cart. Mathews told the Officer that Safeway had given him the cart, which is valued at $1,000, because he has troubles walking. Mathews was unable to provide a name of the employee who had given him the cart.
The Officer contacted a Safeway representative, who stated they had not given Mathews the cart, nor did they know that the cart had been removed from the store. Mathews was placed under arrest without incident. He was transported to the Tuolumne County Jail and booked for felony possession of stolen property. The motorized shopping cart was returned to Safeway.