LAKEPORT — Lakeport police officers arrested three people on drug charges and an alleged connection to a series of gasoline thefts after an ongoing investigation.
The first arrest occurred at about 9:30 p.m. Monday when Lakeport Police Department (LPD) officers pulled over Alexander Gene Gard, 18, of Lakeport, as a result of a continuing investigation that began in mid February.
Officers were monitoring Gard”s residence and later saw him driving his white 1997 Ford Ranger, a vehicle suspected to be connected with the thefts. The truck slowly passed parked vehicles in the Shoreline Shopping Center parking lot.
Officers followed Gard and conducted the enforcement stop in the 2100 block of S. Main Street. During a search, they reportedly found concentrated cannabis, stolen auto parts, a tool box, tools and supplies thought to be taken from a vehicle burglary and theft at the Lake County Vector Control (LCVC) equipment yard on Esplanade Street on March 5.
Gard was arrested on charges of possession of concentrated cannabis, possession of stolen property and burglary. His truck was impounded as evidence and was taken to a secure facility for further search and examination processing for additional evidence.
At about 7 a.m. on Wednesday, LPD officers, assisted by California State Parks officers, served a search warrant at Gard”s home in the 900 block of Armstrong Street. The officers reportedly found suspected methamphetamine, controlled narcotic pills, digital weight scales, suspected drug pay and owe notes, marijuana possessed for sale, controlled substance paraphernalia including methamphetamine smoking pipes and hypodermic syringes, a .22 caliber rifle and ammunition, tools thought to be stolen from the LCVC vehicle burglary and equipment yard theft and a stereo reported stolen from a vehicle in the 1300 block of N. Forbes Street on Sunday.
At about noon on Wednesday, LPD officers served the search warrant on Alexander Gard”s truck and processed it for evidence. They reportedly found and seized numerous tools and vehicle accessories thought to be stolen from the LCVC vehicle burglary and theft from their equipment yard, a methamphetamine smoking pipe, and burglary tools including gasoline siphoning equipment.
The investigation into the thefts began in mid February after 12 vehicles were allegedly targeted for gasoline theft. The incidents reportedly occurred in the Del Lago area, 15th Street, 1800 block of S. Main Street and the 800 block of Third Street. The Del Lago incidents reportedly included the theft of a stereo from one vehicle.
Investigative work combined with numerous leads from the community led the LPD to identify Alexander Gard as a suspect and his 1997 white Ford Ranger as a suspect vehicle. However, at the time Alexander Gard was identified as a suspect, there was not sufficient evidence to make an arrest or complete an affidavit for search a warrant.
Between February 19th and Sunday, numerous other gasoline thefts, thefts from vehicles and burglaries were reported in the City of Lakeport, the LPD stated, including the 300 block of Forest Drive, Lake County Vector Control equipment yard and vehicles on Esplanade Street, the 1000 block of Martin Street, 1300 block of N. Forbes Street and the 1100 block of N. Main Street.
The investigation into the thefts eventually led police to Gard and his subsequent arrest.
Gard was additionally charged with possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana for sale and possession of burglary tools.
Gary Lee Gard, 55, and Alicia Sarris, 50, both of Lakeport, who are reportedly residents of the searched home, were arrested at the scene.
Gary Gard was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, being armed in the commission of a felony, possession of marijuana for sale and for possession of a narcotic substance.
Sarris was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance paraphernalia, possession of marijuana for sale and being armed in the commission of a felony.
All three suspects are in custody at the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility.
