Novato Man Ensnared In Porsche Theft Probe: Petaluma PD

PETALUMA, CA — A Novato man wanted by the Petaluma Police Department since 2019 was taken into custody last week when he returned to the Bay Area on a cruise ship, police said in a news release.

The Petaluma Police Department received information Nov. 27 that Wayne Krieger, 71, wanted in connection with a grand theft investigation involving three stolen classic Porsches, was coming into San Francisco on a cruise ship.

Krieger was unable to be located up to this point so Petaluma police motor officer Sholin, who originally investigated the case, responded to San Francisco and with the help of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, located and arrested Krieger, police said.

An interview with Krieger led Sholin to seek search warrants for locations in Santa Rosa and Novato. After Petaluma police contacted the Sonoma County Auto Theft Task Force — SONCATT — to help with the search warrants, the warrants were served Nov. 27 and Nov. 30.

One of the stolen Porsches was found in Santa Rosa and the other was found in Novato.

"In both locations, there was evidence of other possible stolen vehicles, vehicle parts, fraudulent registration paperwork, and materials to counterfeit vehicle identification numbers," Petaluma police said. "Both locations appeared to be operating as 'Chop Shops,' where suspects engage in disassembling motor vehicles and alter identification numbers to possibly sell the vehicles as part of interstate or foreign commerce."

Investigators developed further information that the third stolen Porsche was at a shop in San Francisco, and on Dec. 2, Petaluma officers found the third missing Porsche with the help of San Francisco police and SONCATT, Petaluma police said.

Officers got another search warrant to search the shop in San Francisco, where they found other possibly stolen cars and car parts, according to Petaluma police.

In addition to the recovery of all three of the stolen Porsches from the 2019 Petaluma investigation, eight other classic Porsches were recovered along with some engines and other evidence, Petaluma police said.

Krieger was no longer in custody as of Wednesday night, Sonoma County jail records showed. Court records indicated he appeared in court Tuesday and posted bail pending a future court date.

Petaluma police said the investigation was ongoing and will be followed up by SONCATT.

Police asked anyone with information regarding the investigation to contact SONCATT at 707-565-1371 or Petaluma PD at 707-778-4372.