A known thief in Sonoma Valley, Michael Chilton, 44, has been arrested again after attempting a burglary on 5th Street West last Wednesday. Sonoma Police, who have dealt with Chilton before, stopped him before he could commit the crime.

Chilton was arrested in June 2024 for multiple thefts around Sonoma Plaza and downtown. After being released, he missed his court dates, leading to a warrant for his arrest. When police caught him in the act, they also detained him for the outstanding warrant. Authorities credit their surveillance and quick response for his capture, as per the Sonoma Police Department.

Police found a wet outdoor table and chairs in Chilton's vehicle, suspecting they were stolen due to his history of similar crimes. They posted a photo online to track the owner, including on Facebook and NextDoor. The Maysonnave House quickly identified the items, leading to an additional felony theft charge against Chilton.

A subsequent investigation by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Property Crimes Investigations Unit uncovered stolen property from three additional cases linked to Chilton at several San Francisco locations. These findings were directly correlated with an ongoing string of burglaries across Sonoma, and as a result, detectives were able to return pilfered possessions to their rightful owners and slap additional charges on Chilton. He remains in custody, charged with multiple felony offenses, among them felony theft with two prior convictions of petty theft, felony possession of stolen property, felony burglary, and felony grand theft, as well as drug-related misdemeanors.