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Placer County Tool Heist Hits Speed Bump

AUBURN (CBS13) — A thief was stopped in his tracks when his getaway car wouldn't get away in Placer County.

Michael Guillermo Mendoza, 33, is behind bars, accused of stealing $1,100 worth of power tools from an Auburn Home Depot on December 9.

He can be seen on surveillance video walking out of the store without paying. Several employees and customers follow him out.

33-year old Michael Guillermo Mendoza's plan to steal more than $1100 worth of DeWalt and Milwaukee power tools from the Auburn Home Depot on December 9th, didn't turn out well, after he ran out of the store with a cart full of power tools. Mendoza, of Sacramento, loaded his car with the items, but got stuck in the parking lot because his car wouldn't start. Moments later, several Home Depot employees and witnesses ran up to the suspect's car and tried getting him out, demanding he return the tools he stole. Mendoza opened his sunroof and threw some of the items out, after a citizen was able to get other stolen goods out of the back of his car. Mendoza frantically tried to get citizens to help jump start his car and at one point, he even tried hitching a ride from an elderly woman. Mendoza eventually took off running out of the Home Depot parking lot. K9 Ronin tracked Mendoza to the Starbucks on Willow Creek Drive, a short time later. Mendoza told deputies he came to steal from the Home Depot in Auburn because he thought it would be easier to get away. Mendoza was arrested and charged with burglary and grand theft, including possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He also had warrants out of Nevada County. Mendoza is currently on probation for being under the influence of a controlled substance out of Nevada County.

Posted by Placer County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Lt. Andrew Scott with Placer County Sheriff's Office said, "He loads the tools in his car, they try to confront him outside, and he tried to get away, but his car won't start. He's got a dead battery."

At that point, one of the employees starts removing stolen property from Mendoza's car.

"So, apparently he realized the jig was up and he started pushing other stolen property from the sunroof, trying to just get it out of there so he could leave," said Scott.

Police say Mendoza tried to flag down someone to jump his car, but he eventually ended up taking off. A K9 officer tracked him down at a nearby Starbucks.

Customer Mike Rigby said, "that's crazy I wish I would have been there, that's unbelievable to me."

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Rigby says he would have trailed someone stealing from the store.

"I would definitely draw attention to him, make sure he is stopped," he said.

Police encourage people not to follow thieves out and take matters into their own hands.

"It could be anyone, someone who is completely harmless or someone who is a danger and does not want to get caught. Leave it to us, we will be there," said Scott.

Mendoza is charged with burglary and grand theft. Deputies say he was also in possession of meth and drug paraphernalia.
He also had warrants out for his arrest in Nevada County, and was on probation.

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