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Suspect in Lakeport gas thefts identified, arrested; two others arrested on drugs, weapons charges
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport Police officers have arrested a young Lakeport man they say is responsible for a series of gasoline thefts and burglaries in the city in February and March, and also took two others into custody for drugs and weapons possession.
Alexander Gene Gard, 18, was arrested on Monday, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
On Wednesday, police also arrested 55-year-old Gary Lee Gard, Alexander Gard's father, and Alicia Sarris, 50, on drugs and weapons charges, Rasmussen said.
From Feb. 16 through 19 the Lakeport Police Department had reported on a total of approximately 12 vehicles being targeted for gasoline theft, as Lake County News has reported.
The incidents occurred in the Del Lago area, 15th Street, 1800 block of S. Main Street and the 800 block of Third Street. Rasmussen said the Del Lago incidents also included the theft of a stereo from one vehicle.
At that time police reported that the vehicle involved in the thefts was a white Ford Ranger and that the driver was described as a white male adult, 19 to 23 years old, with a thin build, and short hair and wearing a flat bill cap.
Rasmussen said Lakeport Police officers continued to investigate these cases and due to their work combined with numerous leads from the community, identified Alexander Gard as a suspect and his 1997 white Ford Ranger as a suspect vehicle.
However, at the time Gard was identified as a suspect, there was not sufficient evidence to make an arrest or complete an affidavit for search warrant, Rasmussen said.
Then, between Feb. 19 and March 9, numerous other gasoline thefts, thefts from vehicles and burglaries were reported in the city of Lakeport, including the 300 block of Forest Drive, Lake County Vector Control equipment yard and vehicles on Esplanade Street, the 1000 block of Martin Street, 1300 block of N. Forbes Street and the 1100 block of N. Main Street, according to Rasmussen.
On Monday, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Lakeport Police officers were continuing their investigation of Gard and monitoring his residence. Rasmussen said they located Gard driving his white Ford Ranger slowly past parked vehicles in the Shoreline Shopping Center Parking lot.
Officers followed Gard and conducted an enforcement stop in the 2100 block of S. Main Street. At that time officers located concentrated cannabis, stolen auto parts and a tool box, and also found tools and supplies identified as being taken from a vehicle burglary and theft at the Lake County Vector Control equipment yard on Esplanade Street on March 5, Rasmussen said.
Gard was arrested and booked for possession of concentrated cannabis, possession of stolen property and burglary. Rasmussen said Gard's white Ford Ranger was impounded as evidence to be taken to a secure facility for further search and examination processing for additional evidence.
Rasmussen said that on Tuesday Lakeport Police officers completed an affidavit for search warrant for Gard’s residence and vehicle.
On Wednesday at approximately 7:05 a.m., Lakeport Police officers – assisted by California State Parks officers – served the search warrant at Gard’s residence in the 900 block of Armstrong Street, Rasmussen said.
There officers located suspected methamphetamine, controlled narcotic pills, digital weight scales, suspected drug pay and owe notes, marijuana possessed for sale, controlled substance paraphernalia including methamphetamine smoking pipes and hypodermic syringes, a .22 caliber rifle and ammunition, tools stolen during the Lake County Vector Control vehicle burglary and equipment yard theft, and a stereo reported stolen from a vehicle in the 1300 block of N. Forbes St. on March 9, Rasmussen reported.
Rasmussen said police also arrested Gary Gard and Alicia Sarris at the residence during the search warrant service.
At noon on Wednesday Lakeport Police officers served the search warrant on Alexander Gard’s vehicle and processed it for evidence. Rasmussen said officers located and seized numerous tools and vehicle accessories identified as being stolen from the Lake County Vector Control vehicle burglary and theft from their equipment yard, a methamphetamine smoking pipe and burglary tools including gasoline siphoning equipment.
In addition to Alexander Gard’s prior charges, he was booked for possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana for sale and possession of burglary tools, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen told Lake County News that his agency had no previous contacts with Alexander Gard.
Gary Gard – who Rasmussen said was arrested in April 2007 for failure to provide – was arrested and booked for possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, being armed in the commission of a felony, possession of marijuana for sale and for possession of a narcotic substance.
Sarris was arrested and booked for possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, possession of marijuana for sale and being armed in the commission of a felony. Rasmussen said her record includes a 2001 arrest for an annoying phone call.
Bail for Alexander Gard, Gary Gard and Alicia Sarris was set at $15,000 each. All three remained in custody on Wednesday evening, according to jail records.
Rasmussen thanked the many community members who provided information to assist officers in this investigation.
“We had quite a few leads, and that helped us,” Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said that, so far, police do not have any information about Alexander Gard being connected to reports of gas thefts happening in the county jurisdiction.
With Gard having been found at the time of his arrest with siphoning equipment, “He was definitely a guy to watch out for,” said Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said the Lakeport Police Department will continue its community policing efforts to work with community members, groups, other city departments and agencies in an effort to arrest offenders and eliminate these crimes in the city of Lakeport.