On Oct. 22, officers from the Santa Maria Police Department arrested a suspect tied to a theft of a work truck that was stolen from the Goleta Habitat for Humanity more than a week ago.
Kelly Hoover, public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, said 44-year-old Matt Crandall of Santa Maria is associated with the theft, which occurred on Oct. 13 when the truck was reported stolen from Habitat for Humanity’s parking lot in the 6800 block of Cortona Drive in Goleta.
Along with the SMPD, the Sheriff’s Office Compliance Response Team also assisted with the arrest.
The truck also contained tools from a nearby business, which shares the parking lot with Habitat for Humanity. A spokeswoman for Habitat for Humanity in Goleta told the Sun the suspects had no connection to the organization and believes the truck may have been an easy target because the parking lot sits directly off Highway 101.
According to Hoover, the truck was recovered a day later when SMPD officers responded to a call of suspicious activity at a Palm Court Drive address in Santa Maria.
When the SMPD arrived, Crandall fled on foot, but officers managed to arrest 35-year-old Sabrina Ceglia and 32-year-old Travis Grant. Both were booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property, burglary, and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Crandall, who Hoover said was wanted for a warrant for violating the terms of his post release community supervision, was nabbed without incident more than a week later in Santa Maria.
Crandall was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on a no-bail warrant, Hoover said.
