A 51-year-old Pacific man was arrested for allegedly tampering with a Jeep Wrangler late at night at Scoreboard Automotive, 1375 W. Fifth St., in Eureka. The man allegedly set off the Jeep’s alarm by opening its unlocked door late at night when the car dealership was not open, Eureka Police reported.
Officers at about 9:20 p.m. Sept. 10 saw a 2001 GMC pickup with its lights on and a man standing in the dealership’s parking lot. Due to recent reports of break-ins at the business, the officers pulled into the parking lot, blocking the pickup in, the report said.
The alarms on the Jeep and other vehicles were sounding when the police arrived, and the man was allegedly seen near the Wrangler. The man allegedly told police he did open the door to see if the Jeep had a manual transmission, according to the report.
Nothing was taken from or damaged in the Jeep, the report said.
Officers learned the man was a convicted felon. The man was wearing an ankle monitor and was wanted for recent charges, according to the report.
The man allegedly said there was a gun in the pickup. However, officers did not find a weapon in the pickup, the report said.
The dealership’s owner was contacted, and he told police he wanted to prosecute the man for tampering and trespassing, according to the report.
The man was arrested and taken to the Police Station, where he was booked and released, the report said.
He was issued summonses to appear in Eureka Municipal Court for alleged tampering and trespassing, Lt. Brett Grittini said.