UPDATED: BURNEY: Woman arrested after bringing 1-year-old along while stealing van
UPDATED: Friday, July 28, 1 p.m. With additional information from witness
BURNEY — Details are still emerging after CHP officials arrested a women who allegedly brought a toddler along with her when she stole a van Thursday, July 27. The vehicle theft happened at the USA gas station at 37303 Highway 299, near Mackinack Street, in Burney.
Deputies were dispatched to the gas station just before 10 p.m., after the victim called 911 to report the theft of his vehicle, which was described as an older-model, grey, Dodge van conversion. The caller told SHASCOM emergency dispatchers that an unknown woman he had offered a ride to had stolen his van and fled the area. The victim also told emergency dispatchers the woman who stole his van had a baby with her.
The stolen van was last seen heading eastbound away from the gas station on Highway 299.
A deputy who arrived at the gas station confirmed a vehicle theft had occurred and updated dispatchers about the alleged suspect and the vehicle’s description as well as the van’s last known direction of travel. Within minutes, a CHP officer – who had been searching the area for the victim’s vehicle – located it about eight miles away on Hatchet Mountain, west of Bunch Grass Lookout Road.
The CHP officer reported finding the alleged suspect behind the wheel of the stolen van. She was “unconscious” and had a 1-year-old baby in the van with her. CHP detained the woman and checked on the status of the baby, while deputies responded to the location from the gas station to assist CHP with their initial investigation.
The child was determined to be unharmed from the incident. It was not immediately known how or if the woman and toddler were related.
The victim confirmed the vehicle the woman had been found in was his stolen van and the vehicle was later returned to him.
The toddler was taken to the Shasta County Sheriff’s Burney Sub-Station, where Child Protective Services responded and took the into protective custody.
The morning after the vehicle theft, an employee at the gas station – who requested to remain anonymous – explained that the victim picked up the alleged suspect in Anderson. She was reportedly trying to get to Old Dump Road in Burney. According to the employee, the woman had the 1-year-old with her when the victim offered her a ride.
As the victim drove through Burney, he pulled into the USA gas station to make a purchase.
When the victim entered the store, the woman – who had been in the passenger seat – “jumped into the driver’s seat and took off” with the victim’s van, according to the gas station employee.
After the alleged suspect fled with the victim’s vehicle, she reportedly headed eastbound in an attempt to find Old Dump Road. According to the employee the woman got lost and eventually turned around before heading west towards Hatchet Mountain where she was later located and arrested by the CHP officer.
CHP is investigating the vehicle theft. As of this report, they have not yet released any information regarding the incident or arrest. A request to CHP for additional information about the arrest had not yet been responded to.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.
s a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.