On a late afternoon in Needles, a routine traffic check by the Colorado River Station/Needles Police Department took an unexpected turn when it led to the recovery of a stolen vehicle and a subsequent arrest. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department, at around 4:54 p.m. on June 30, deputies pulled over a suspect near J Street and 3rd Street.
The driver, identified as Gilbert Ruff, a 54-year-old resident of Bullhead City, AZ, was detained after records check showed that the car he was driving was in fact reported stolen. Upon his detainment, Ruff was also found to be in breach of CVC 10851(A) for Grand Theft Auto. He also had a felony warrant for PC 3455 - Violation of Post Release Community Supervison.
Following the confirmation that the vehicle was stolen, Ruff was arrested and transported to the Colorado River Station jail. He is currently being held with no bail, as he awaits a court hearing. The specific details of the vehicle, as well as the identity of the victim, remain confidential at this time.
Authorities are actively seeking information from the public concerning this incident. Corporal B. Abell of the Colorado River Station/Needles Police Department has been mentioned as a point of contact for this case. In the interest of justice, anyone with information is encouraged to call (760) 326-9200. Those wishing to maintain anonymity may reach out to the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME or leave a tip on the We-Tip website.
For updates and more news, the sheriff's department encourages following their social media handles on Facebook, Instagram @SBCSDColoradoRiverStation, and Twitter at @CORiverStation. Shannon D. Dicus of the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department underscored the active engagement of law enforcement in a press release issued on July 1st, a day after the incident unfolded.
