A Hollister man was arrested Tuesday on a single count of felony
car theft after allegedly stealing a new car off the lot of a local
dealership in what local law enforcement officials are calling one
of the quickest arrests in San Benito County history.
Hollister – A Hollister man was arrested Tuesday on a single count of felony car theft after allegedly stealing a new car off the lot of a local dealership in what local law enforcement officials are calling one of the quickest arrests in San Benito County history.
Alfredo Guerra, 34, was arrested for felony car theft on McCray Street near Rancho in Hollister after allegedly stealing a new Chevy Tahoe from Greenwood Chevrolet. Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Leist spotted Guerra driving the vehicle 10 minutes later and pulled him over. Guerra tried to flee on foot, but was quickly apprehended, Capt. Bob Brooks said. The Sheriff’s office and the Police Department worked together to make the arrest.
Guerra rode his bike to the dealership in the rain Tuesday afternoon and asked to take the 2007 Tahoe for a test drive, said Greenwood Sales Manager James Marshall.
“He came in on a bike and left in a $45,000 Tahoe,” he said. “It’s not something you’d expect to happen.”
Marshall said a salesman gave Guerra the keys to the white Tahoe so he could take a look at it and then went to tell his boss he was suspicious of the customer’s intentions.
“When he turned his back, the guy stole the vehicle,” Marshall said.
Undersheriff Pat Turturici said the incident was far from the crime of century.
“You can’t drive around in a brand new stolen truck,” he said. “It was like a white elephant.”
Turturici said Leist was doing his job and staying alert.
Brooks said such brazen car thefts were uncommon in Hollister, but did not have statistics on how many cars had been stolen from dealership lots during broad daylight. Marshall said it was the first time a car was stolen from the Greenwood lot that he could remember.
Marshall thanked both the police and sheriff deputies for recovering the car quickly. He said the car was undamaged.
“It’s shocking,” he said. “But we were laughing later. We definitely got more than a chuckle out of this.”
Brooks said the quick arrest was one for the record books.
“To recover a stolen vehicle in ten minutes, that’s got to be a record,” he said. “At least for Hollister.”
Guerra has been arrested 19 times since 1992 for a variety of crimes, including battery, drug use, domestic violence, car theft and joy riding, according to Sgt. Dan Lewis, a corrections officer at the San Benito County Jail.
Guerra is being held at the San Benito County Jail in lieu of $11,000 bail. If convicted he could face fines and prison time.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
