Gasoline theft suspect arrested with $17,000 in stolen medical equipment
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department said its officers arrested a Loch Lomond man on Monday night after finding him with a truck filled with stolen medical equipment.
Joshua Michael Covell, 31, of Loch Lomond, Calif., was arrested for felony grand theft, possession of stolen property and tampering with a vehicle, according to a report from Chief Brad Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said that at 8:10 p.m. Monday, officers were called to a medical business in the 800 block of Parallel Drive to investigate the report of gasoline siphoning.
He said the officers responded and located a green Dodge Ram 1500 pickup parked in the area. The truck was unoccupied but officers could see an illegal weapon – metal knuckles – lying on the pickup seat.
Three officers began checking the area and set up surveillance on the pickup. Approximately 40 minutes later, they saw a male subject approach and enter the vehicle, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said officers contacted the suspect – later identified as Covell – and arrested him for possession of the metal knuckles.
He said the officers searched the pickup and located approximately $17,000 worth of medical equipment that was identified as being stolen from the medical business.
Officers also located approximately $500 worth of equipment that was identified as being stolen earlier in the day from the Lake County Fair. Rasmussen said the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office was investigating that case and also responded to the scene of Covell’s arrest.
Rasmussen said Covell was arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail where he was booked.
The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491, by emailing Investigating Officer Tyler Trouette at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., by private Facebook message or by sending an anonymous message by texting the words TIP LAKEPORT followed by your message to 888777.