Construction Workers Stop Man From Stealing Truck, Tools: RPDPS

ROHNERT PARK, CA — A Rohnert Park man was arrested Friday and booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of attempted vehicle theft and attempted grand theft after a group of construction workers reportedly saw him trying to steal one of their work trucks, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said in news release.

Dispatchers started getting 911 calls at 12:06 p.m. about the vehicle burglary in progress in the 400 block of Southwest Boulevard — near Adrian Drive — police said.

When the owner of the truck spotted the suspect — later identified as Antonio Magana Sandoval, 36, of Rohnert Park — inside his vehicle, police said a physical struggle reportedly took place as a citizen's arrest was made.

The first patrol unit pulled up to see Sandoval being detained by several construction workers.

Sandoval was taken into custody without further incident, police said, noting Sandoval declined medical treatment for any injuries he may have suffered in the altercation.

Officers determined Sandoval had entered the unlocked truck and, using tools from the truck, partially removed the dashboard, steering column and stick-shift in his efforts to start the truck without a key, police said.

Had the "alert construction workers" not stopped Sandoval in his tracks, officers believe he would have made off not only with the truck but "a large quantity of construction tools," according to police.

Friday evening, Sandoval remained behind bars in lieu of $10,000 bail pending a court appearance set for Tuesday afternoon, according to police and jail records.