MADERA - Early Saturday morning the Madera County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an unknown male subject at the PG&E Equipment yard located in the 30000 block of Avenue 12. Deputy Joseph Wood and Corporal Adam McEwen responded to the location and observed a male subject entering a gold-colored minivan parked outside of the fence.
A suspect, later identified as 32-year-old Ernesto Navarrete of Fresno, was found at the scene inside the minivan. Upon further investigation, deputies discovered a hole cut in the fence. Deputies recovered numerous coils of copper wire, a pair of wire cutters, and bolt cutters at the scene. Additional copper wire was located inside the van with Navarrete, along with two large pry bars. A methamphetamine pipe was also located inside the vehicle.
Navarrete was arrested and booked into the Madera County Jail for grand theft, loitering on private property with intent to commit a crime, possession of burglary tools, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Sheriff Tyson Pogue remarks, “I applaud Deputy Wood, who is in his first week as a patrol deputy, and Corporal McEwen for their prompt response and diligence in recovering what would have been a large amount of stolen property. Our night shift deputies are crucial for maintaining the safety of our community while they sleep, and I thank them for all of their hard work that often goes unseen.”