Police Blotter: Watsonville Man Tied to Pot Club Theft

County gang investigators suspect a Watsonville man was involved in the burglary of at least one Mid-County medicinal marijuana dispensary last week.

Ruben Garcia, 19, was arrested June 3 after members of the county's Gang Task Force and a sheriff's deputy went to his Amesti Road house for a probation search.

When they arrived and knocked on the door, investigators saw Garcia run out the back of the home carrying a large, plastic bin. They chased down the teen and got the container, which held prepackaged marijuana with "Granny Purps" labels, according to Mario Sulay, the District Attorney's Office inspector who heads the gang team. 

Granny Purps, on 41st Avenue in Capitola, was one of two medicinal marijuana dispensaries burglarized early on June 3, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Investigators reported finding about a half-pound of dried marijuana buds and some miscellaneous marijuana food items in Garcia's bin. In his bedroom, the cops reported finding evidence Garcia was selling weed and he was arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana for sale, Sulay reported.

The pot club burglaries remain under investigation.

Watsonville police log, Wednesday, June 8

12:40 p.m.—Hermila Rodriguez, 59, was arrested for public intoxication on Freedom Boulevard at Davis Avenue.

1:30 p.m.—A resident on the 500 block of Brewington Avenue caught Samuel Espinoza, 18, breaking into his house. Espinoza also admitted to a second burglary on t he 100 block of Willowcreek Court.

4:26 p.m.—A vandal keyed a car parked on the 1000 block of Main Street.

4:27 p.m.—Juan Escamilla, 52, was caught with meth and a crack pipe in his car while parked at Pioneer Cemetery on the 100 block of Marin Street. He was arrested after police found a small amount of methamphetamine in the pipe.

7:06 p.m.—Firefighters found marijuana and pot plants inside a home on the 100 block of Oakridge Street after the house caught fire.

7:50 p.m.—Jose Augstin Lopez was arrested on the 400 block of Rodriguez Street for a warrant.

10 p.m.—Yulibeth Martinez was arrested for being drunk in public on Tharp and Tuttle avenues.

Tuesday, June 7

3:15 a.m.—A young man stole a 12-pack of Budweiser beer from a store on the 2100 block of Freedom Boulevard. He was Latino, 18-20 years old, 6 feet tall and 220 pounds wearing a black baseball cap with a red bill, a black shirt and blue jeans.

12:48 a.m.—Jose Villaruel, 43, was causing a distrubance and trying to fight people at a drug treatment house on the 300 block of East Beach Street. He was arrested for violating his probation.

3:38 p.m.—A business on the 100 block of Hangar Way was the victim of a cyber crime.

4:01 p.m.—A vandal spraypainted graffiti on a garage door on the 100 block of Dawson Street.

5:52 p.m.—Melanie McKay, 51, was cited for shoplifting and trespassing at Kmart, on the 1700 block of Freedom Boulevard. She got a ticket.

6:15 p.m.—A burglar stole a video game system and six games from a home on the 100 block of Jefferson Street.

6:17 p.m.—A man and woman stole two bottles of booze from the CVS pharmacy on the 400 block of Rodriguez Street.

8:52 p.m.—Schauntel Marina Gomez was arrested for being drunk in public on the 200 block of Maple Avenue.