Burney “frequent flyer” arrested after hardware store vandalism

BURNEY — A Burney man one local sheriff’s deputy described as one of the area’s “frequent flyers” – who has been arrested numerous times throughout the Intermountain area – was arrested again this week for vandalizing a Burney business, after he was caught on surveillance footage shattering one of the store’s front windows.

Shasta County Sheriff’s Sgt. Marc St.Clair told SCNS last night that in addition to being arrested after the hardware store vandalism, 37-year-old, Steven Bautista was arrested earlier this week for outstanding warrants as well as for questioning related to four separate arson-related fires that were set last Sunday afternoon.

The multiple fires were intentionally set in the powerline area of Burney, near Carberry St. and Mountain View Rd., officials had previously reported.

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Bautista’s most recent arrest followed a sheriff’s investigation into the felony vandalism of Hovis Ace Hardware, located on the 37000 block of Main St., after one of the businesses front windows was shattered earlier this week, according to St.Clair.

Steven Bautista was arrested again this week, after surveillance footage showed the man one patrol deputy called “one of Burney’s frequent flyers” shattering the front window of Hovis Ace Hardware in Burney. Bautista was also arrested earlier this week on multiple outstanding warrants and questioned regarding four arson fires that were set in Burney last Sunday afternoon. SCSO photo

During their vandalism investigation, store employees were able to provide deputies with surveillance footage that showed Bautista approach the front of the business “with a small object in his hand” which he then threw into one of the store’s large front windows, Darrin Kaczorowski, the store’s manager told SCNS in a telephone interview today.

According to Kaczorowski, Bautista has been captured stealing various items on the store’s surveillance video on previous occasions, and was seen stealing a large bag of dirt from in front of the closed business just last week.

Based on their investigation and surveillance footage of the incident, deputies eventually located and arrested Bautista for the hardware store vandalism.

It was not immediately known if Bautista was suspected of vandalizing Hilliard Insurance Agency, whose front window was also shattered with a large rock on or about the same day. According to office manager Tracie Hinton, a nearby business may have captured surveillance footage of her store’s vandalism, but that incident still remains under investigation.

SEE RELATED: BREAKING: Multiple “suspicious” fires reported in Burney

Anyone with information regarding Bautista’s ongoing alleged criminal activity throughout the Burney area is encouraged to immediately contact Shasta County Sheriff’s Burney Station at (530) 245-6070, or SHASCOM dispatchers at (530) 245-6500. Callers can remain anonymous.

According to Hovis Ace Hardware store manager Darrin Kaczorowski, Bautista was captured on store surveillance footage approaching the businesses window “with a small object in his hand” which he then threw through the store’s front window, shattering it. Darrin Kaczorowski photo

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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta 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, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s 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 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.