A Watsonville man was arrested on Oct. 27 after allegedly burglarizing the mechanic shop at Marty Franich Ford on Auto Center Drive.
Benjamin Sanchez was charged with commercial burglary, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail, but was not in custody as of Friday, jail records showed.
Watsonville Police said they were dispatched, along with Santa Cruz Sheriff’s deputies on Oct. 27 at 2:15am, to a report of a burglar alarm.
Officers observed an older Dodge Caravan, with the rear door open, parked near the upper mechanic shop of the business. Officers then observed Sanchez dressed in all black, coming in and out of the mechanic shop, with tools in hand and piling them in the rear of the van.
During a seach of the van, officers found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia that they believe belonged to Sanchez.
Marty Franich Ford employees responded to the scene and identified all the tools in the van as belonging to the business and employees, which they estimated at $20,000.
