Woman’s Phone Helps Catch Burglar

Sonora, CA– A Stockton man was arrested yesterday in Sonora on numerous charges including burglary

According to the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office, the Sheriff’s Dispatch received a call Thursday morning from a female victim of a car burglary. A Deputy met with the woman who reported a number of missing items including two purses with wallets containing cash, credit cards, check books, ID’s and an IPhone.

The victim was able to go to an IPhone tracking website and determine that her IPhone was in the parking lot of the Junction Shopping Center near the Mountain Book Store. The Deputy went to that location but found nothing unusual.

She then contacted the Deputy and told him the phone location had changed to Sonora Fitness and then to the parking lot at the Flyers Shell Gas Station on Mono Way. The Deputy went to Flyers and saw a man who turned out to be the suspect standing in front of a truck in the parking lot. The Deputy questioned the suspect who gave him a false name.

Upon inspection of the truck cab, the Deputy found two purses on the passenger side floor and an IPhone on the seat matching the description given to him by the victim.

The suspect was identified as 33-year-old Jeremy Chapman of Stockton. A search of the vehicle revealed ammunition, drug paraphernalia, lock picking tools, pry tools, and other property stolen from the Oakdale area. Because Chapman is a convicted felon, he cannot legally possess ammunition.

Chapman was arrested and charged with possession of stolen property, burglary, possession of burglary tools, giving false information to a Peace Officer and possession of prohibited ammunition.

Written by tina.falco@mlode.com