SPD Photo
Sonora, CA – A vandal was caught on a Sonora Store’s security camera footage, which led to his arrest.
Sonora Police were called to the Sonora Cigarette Store + Smoke Shop in the 1100 block of Mono Way last week for a report of vandalism that involved the shop’s front window being broken. Upon officers’ arrival, a store employee recounted that a man, carrying a jar of jelly, tried to use a Save Mart Supermarket gift card to buy some merchandise. When the employee told the man he could only pay with cash or with a credit card, the suspect became upset and left.
Once outside, the store clerk says the man suddenly began screaming and swearing at the employee. Then he allegedly threw the glass jar of jelly at the front window, shattering it. He then ran from the scene. Officers checked the area for the subject, but he was nowhere to be found. While viewing the surveillance footage the suspect was recognized and identified as 38-year-old Danny James Norton Jr., a transient.
Officers caught up with Norton the next day still wearing the same clothes as in the video. When questioned about the damage at first Norton Jr. denied breaking the window and said he could not remember. As the interview continued tried to blame the broken window on someone else, claiming that he saw somebody run by the store but he did not catch what they looked like. Norton Jr. was arrested for felony vandalism and placed on a $15,000 bail.
Written by Tracey Petersen.
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