Authorities Ask For Public's Help Searching For Homeless Man Who Stole Firefighter's Truck
WOODBRIDGE (CBS13) — After the Woodbridge Fire Station was robbed in February, they installed security cameras. Those cameras led to the naming of a suspect in a robbery this week.
The truck was found early Tuesday morning torched along a lonely road in French Camp. Firefighter Garret Morrison owns it.
'It's completely totaled. They took it to salvage. Now it's being processed with insurance," he said.
The truck was stolen along with laptops, wallets and a PlayStation. Authorities say a homeless man named 22-year-old Luis Avelar did it. He was captured on surveillance cameras snooping around the station. Sheriff's deputies say direct evidence at the scene linked him to the crime, and his image matched previous booking photos. Firefighters were dismayed he targeted them while they were out responding to a fire.
"The biggest thing is we are out here trying to help the community and we are doing everything extremely fast and we don't have times to set alarms and stuff like that," said Morrison.
After the station was broken into earlier this year, cameras were installed It's a far cry from the past. Chief Steve Butler said previously, the station would be wide open and we would never have an issue.
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Butler says The fire station serves as a sanctuary for crews waiting for the next call. Now they are on even higher alert.
"So for my firefighters that have to work out of this station—every time they walk in a door from a call—they are on edge-- just to make sure nothing is wrong," said Butler.
They are now keeping a more watchful eye out, which is difficult given the nature of emergency responses.
"We gotta get out of here. Somebody needs our help. Our personal business stop. And we got to get outta here and go," said Butler.
Morrison laments the loss of his truck.
"Because no matter what, I'm at a huge loss of money," he said.
He is in a loaner car but searching for the perfect truck that can fit his outdoor lifestyle.
In the meantime, the community has started raising funds to get him another truck.