Stolen Vehicle Suspect Arrested in Livermore After Tech Alert, Drone Search

LIVERMORE, CA — A Newark man was arrested in Livermore on suspicion of driving a stolen vehicle, police said.

On March 20 at around 2:40 a.m., a license plate reader alerted officers to an allegedly stolen Chevrolet Silverado entering Livermore, police said. Officers located the vehicle near La Ribera and Brisa streets. With help from a drone, the suspect, 37-year-old Richard Vaka, was found hiding near the train tracks. He was arrested without incidents.

Police say Vaka had multiple felony warrants for burglary and vehicle theft, and evidence in the vehicle linked him to the theft. The department published a photo showing a handgun, a large amount of cash, drug paraphernalia, and several license plates and credit cards.

Vaka was booked on multiple charges, including possession of a stolen vehicle and identity theft.

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