Redding K9, UAV, help in recovery of stolen weapons

November 19, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

REDDING, Calif. — Authorities in Redding have reported that multiple resources, including a police K9, unmanned aerial vehicle, and CHP helicopter, were used in the recovery of multiple weapons and hunting gear that were inside a vehicle when it was stolen earlier this morning, Thursday, Nov. 19.

The vehicle was stolen from outside the home of a 58-year-old professional hunting guide who was preparing for a scheduled turkey hunting trip with a child diagnosed with cancer, Redding Police Corporal Chris Mills has since said of the incident.

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City of Redding police officers were notified regarding the vehicle theft in the 2200 block of Gold Street, southwest of Placer and Chestnut streets around 5 a.m., according to Mills.

Responding officers learned that after loading his green 2012 Dodge pickup truck with the essentials for the trip, he briefly returned to his residence to grab his coffee, leaving the unoccupied vehicle running outside.

“Once inside, (the victim) heard the sound of his truck being driven away and exited to find his vehicle missing, Mills explained, adding, “Several firearms were inside the vehicle at the time of theft.”

Although no suspect(s) were located during the search, the vehicle, firearms, and hunting gear were all later returned to the victim, a professional hunting guide who was preparing for a scheduled turkey hunting trip with a child diagnosed with cancer.

About 30 minutes later, while officers were continuing to search for the stolen vehicle, a motorist noticed a vehicle that had crashed into a ditch near Canyon Creek Road and Starburst Drive, and reported the observation to SHASCOM emergency dispatchers. Dispatchers immediately recognized that the vehicle described by the motorist matched the description of the earlier stolen vehicle.

Responding officers found the victim’s stolen vehicle unoccupied and quickly determined the firearms and hunting gear were missing from the vehicle.

“Officers requested the assistance of CHP helicopter, utilized an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, and Police K9 to search for the suspect,” said Mills, adding, “K9 Otto led officers to the wooded area located west of Starburst Drive.”

“During the track, K9 Otto located several items stolen from the vehicle, including hunting gear and all outstanding firearms,” Mills continued. “The items appeared to have been hidden or concealed, as if the suspect intended on returning to the area to collect them.”

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Although no suspect(s) were located during the search, the vehicle, firearms, and hunting gear were all later returned to the victim.

Anyone with information related to this ongoing investigation is encouraged to contact (530) 225-4200. Callers can refer to incident file number 20R076243 and can remain anonymous.

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Trevor Montgomery, 49, moved in 2017 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 30 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 18 grandchildren.