SYLACAUGA, Ala. – Last weekend, Sylacauga Police Department officers successfully apprehended a vehicle theft suspect and recovered the stolen automobile.
On Saturday, Aug. 26, authorities were alerted to the theft of a vehicle from the rear parking lot of Serra Ford, located on Hwy 280. The vehicle, which belonged to an employee, had been left overnight.
During the theft, the suspect collided with another vehicle in the lot and rammed into a gate, causing significant damage.
The following day, Sylacauga Police officers conducted a traffic stop on Hammett Ave. near W. Fort Williams St. which led to the recovery of the stolen vehicle. All three occupants were detained and questioned by investigators.
The driver, 23-year-old Franciso Thomas Diaz of Sylacauga, was arrested for Theft of Property in the First Degree, a Class B Felony. Diaz was transported to the Talladega County Jail, and his bond was set at $15,000 by Talladega County Circuit Judge Will Hollingsworth.
Theft of Property in the First Degree carries a penalty of 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $30,000.
