At about 11:51 pm Thursday night, the Turlock Police Department was dispatched to a reported prowler at a residence in the 2600 block of Volk Avenue, Turlock, where a subject had been seen walking around the neighborhood and checking several mailboxes, including the caller’s.
As officers arrived in the area, the subject saw them and fled on foot.
A gray Acura sedan was parked in the area, which was believed to be the suspect vehicle. In plain sight were several mail pieces addressed to random people in Merced County.
Officers left the area, however, one of them came back in an unmarked detective vehicle to conduct a stakeout. At about 4:10 am, the subject came back to his vehicle and officers who were staged in the area conducted a takedown.
The subject, identified as Juan Perez, 40, of Waterford, was detained without further incident.
A search of his vehicle and further investigation revealed that the mail pieces in Perez’s vehicle were indeed stolen. Altered and forged checks were also located in the vehicle.
Perez was arrested and booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of theft and forgery.
The investigation remains on-going. Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation is encouraged to call Officer Gregory Roton at 209-668-6536.
