Location: 22600 block of Avenue 178, Porterville

Incident Date: 4/11/17

Incident Time: 0445 hours

Case Number: 17-04319

City: Porterville

Posted by: Dispatch

On April 11, 2017 at about 5 a.m., Deputies from the Sheriff’s Porterville Substation responded to the 22600 block of Avenue 178, in Porterville, for the reported theft of a John Deere Gator Utility Vehicle with Spray Rig attachment, valued at $12,000. 

During the investigation, the Sheriff’s Office also utilized their unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly referred to as a Drone, to assist in the search of the stolen items.  A short time later, the operator of the Drone spotted the stolen equipment as unattended and stuck in the back lot of a residential compound in the 22900 block of Avenue 184, Porterville.  Deputies and Detectives responded to this location and recovered the $12,000 worth of equipment, which was processed for evidence and returned back to the rightful owner.

 

Deputies continued their investigation and ultimately located and connected suspect Jose Valencia, 41, of Terra Bella to the theft of the equipment.  Valencia was arrested for Grand Theft, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Narcotic Paraphernalia and an outstanding arrest warrant from prior narcotic violations.  He was booked without incident into the Sheriff’s Porterville Substation with bail set at $30,000.  

 

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department at (559)733-6218 or send anonymous information by sending a text or email to TCSO@tipnow.com or call (559) 725-4194.