Suspected Parking Lot Burglars Arrested

News From Our City Manager:
Sean Garmire/The Times-Standard / Posted: 01/10/2009 01:19:41 AM PST


A California State Park ranger arrested three people suspected of burglarizing vehicles in the Trinidad area.

According to Greg Hall, a ranger with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the alleged victim of an auto burglary stopped him while he was driving through Trinidad on Thursday, and reported that he had witnessed three people breaking into a vehicle in the College Cove parking lot.

Hall said the victim who reported the crime had allegedly witnessed the same three people -- two males and a female driving a 1980s white GMC pickup -- breaking into his own vehicle the day before. Authorities had been on the lookout for suspects matching that description since Tuesday.

The victim told Hall that after witnessing the burglary, he chased the three suspects northbound on Patrick's Point Drive. The man reported the suspects were driving too fast to follow, and he gave up the chase.

Hall issued a lookout for the suspect vehicle, and it was located after a short time by a ranger about 10 miles south of Crescent City.

According to Hall, Harley Hammers, 33, Shavonne Hammers, 31, and Jeffrey Brooks, 36, were arrested and booked into the Humboldt County jail on suspicion of possession of stolen property, burglary, possession of burglary tools and possession of marijuana.

Inside the vehicle were several items that had been reported stolen from a truck parked in the Trinidad parking lot. Hall said he believes the three had spent three days in Trinidad, and may have burglarized several vehicles.
The high number of auto burglaries on Trinidad's Scenic Drive and in nearby state park parking lots has been an ongoing issue for authorities. Hall said rangers are asking anyone who has had their vehicle burglarized in the Trinidad area within the last month to contact him at 845-5784.