Alert neighbors and quick-acting cops led to the arrest of a pair of alleged car thieves in Brentwood, California, equipped with a trove of burglary tools and a loaded shotgun. According to the Brentwood Police Department, the drama unfolded late yesterday afternoon when an alert victim spotted their stolen vehicle, complete with recognizable damage, parked along the 8800 block of Brentwood Blvd.
Officers quickly responded, finding 41-year-old Michael VanBrusselen of Clayton, and 58-year-old Kelly Katrones of Pittsburg in the car. A subsequent search unveiled that the car's license plate was a mismatch belonging to a different car registered to Katrones. The authorities' search of the vehicle also turned up a loaded shotgun, a BB gun, and an array of burglary tools, including numerous keys that had been shaved down to unlock other vehicles or properties possibly.
The Brentwood authorities didn't waste any time in slapping cuffs on VanBrusselen and Katrones, charging them both with possession of the stolen car and burglary tools. VanBrusselen, a convicted felon with an outstanding warrant, faces additional charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm, among other related crimes.
The Police Department emphasized the significance of community cooperation in their statement, commending the reporting party for their vigilance and urging residents to "remain vigilant in reporting suspicious activities."
