On Tuesday, December 11th, at approximately 3:30 am, Hemet Police Dispatch received a call from a citizen advising a person on an off-road type vehicle was hiding in the bushes on California Street at Florida Avenue in west Hemet.
Hemet Police officers responded to the location and located a man walking away from a four-wheel ATV. Officers located a back-pack, belonging to the subject, containing wire cutters, wire testers, and electrical tools. Upon further examination, officers noted the ignition to the ATV appeared altered & damaged. It was soon learned that the ATV was stolen from the County area of Hemet and the sleeping victim had not yet discovered the theft. Methamphetamine was found on the man.
This area of the City has been hit hard in recent weeks by electrical equipment and copper thieves. The costs to tax-payers from this type of theft is in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Hemet Police would like to thank the concerned citizen who called. Sergeant Eddie Pust said, "Had that person not called, the victim wouldn't have discovered his ATV was gone for several more hours." Pust related that the initial caller may have also prevented additional copper theft. "It's 3 o'clock in the morning...who knows what this guy was going to do with these tools out here."
Arrested: Chad Arviso, 23 years old from Hemet.
Charges: Possession of stolen property and Possession of Methamphetamine.