Sonora Police Stop A Burglary In Progress

Sonora, CA — This morning Sonora police stopped a burglary in progress at the Earth & Ocean Board Shop near the Save Mart in the Timberhills Shopping Center. When officers responded to a silent alarm at 7 am, they found the back door to the business open. A subject getting into a vehicle was identified as James Werner, 41 of La Grange.

According to Chief of Police Mark Stinson, Werner told officers he stopped behind the business to check for boxes, as he was preparing to move. Cash from the business was located inside Werner’s vehicle. Werner claimed he had found the money alongside the business, so he picked it up and put it inside his vehicle.

Officers learned that Werner was currently out on bail from Stanislaus County on several felony charges ranging from possession of stolen property to possession of drugs. According to the police report Werner also had burglary tools inside his vehicle and stereo equipment with serial numbers that had been removed.

Werner was taken into custody without incident. He was booked in to Tuolumne County Jail for: felony burglary, felony possession of stolen property, felony committing a crime while out on bail, misdemeanor possession of burglary tools, and misdemeanor possession of property with the serial numbers removed.