Hollister Police recovered a stolen U-Haul van after the vehicle’s illicit driver was exiting an appointment with San Benito County Probation staff, authorities said.
About 10:15am Nov. 7, a Hollister Police Department license plate reader scanned the plate of the vehicle when it was parked on Monterey Street near Fifth Street—just outside the county probation office, according to Hollister Police Sgt. Bo Leland. Information from the scan revealed the vehicle had been reported stolen by the U-Haul company.
An officer went to investigate and contacted and detained a woman who was in the stolen van, police said. A male suspect, Andrew Heersink, then exited his appointment with probation and approached the officer at the van. Heersink told police the van belonged to him.
Officers attempted to detain Heersink but he attempted to run away on foot. Officers ran after him and caught up with Heersink, arresting him on suspicion of vehicle theft, according to police. Both Heersink and the female occupant of the van, Destiny Tellez, were booked at the county jail.
