Petaluma Man Eludes Deputies, Driver Caught In Theft Chase: Cops

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — One suspect was on the loose and another was arrested following a theft at a hardware store in Petaluma on Sunday evening, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office. The suspects allegedly walked out of the Friedman's Home Improvement store at 429 N. McDowell Blvd. around 7 p.m. with a variety of power tools and fled in a black Chevrolet Corvette, sheriff's officials said.

Store security was able to provide the vehicle's license plate to sheriff's officials. Minutes later, sheriff's officials said a deputy saw the vehicle on Mecham Road and pulled it over at the intersection with Pepper Road northwest of Petaluma.

At that point, the passenger, identified as 28-year-old Elliot Malone of Petaluma - also wanted a felony no-bail warrant for violating conditions of mandatory supervision per sheriff's officials - fled into a grove of trees.

Deputies were unable to find Malone after around a 90-minute search with help from a sheriff's helicopter and K9.

The driver, John Silva, 70, was arrested on suspicion of grand theft and conspiracy charges and booked into the Sonoma County Jail on $5,000 bail. The stolen merchandise was taken back to Friedman's.

Anyone who sees Malone is asked to call the sheriff's office at 707-565-2121.

—Bay City News Service