Santa Rosa mechanical bull theft suspects arrested, 3 bulls recovered
Three mechanical bulls were among the stolen goods in a series of thefts that led to the arrest of two suspects on Monday morning, Santa Rosa police said.
Santa Rosa residents Jonathan Galvez, 31, and Seamus Gilshenan Jr, 32, were arrested at 7.45 a.m. on Monday during a traffic stop on Cleveland Avenue near Guerneville Road, authorities said.
They were in a Chevrolet pickup that police had searched for since November 28 when a witness saw a suspicious vehicle pull a freight trailer out of a parking lot on Highway 12 east of Santa Rosa.
The witness called investigators because he was familiar with the trailer and its owner. It contained “thousands of dollars in construction tools,” police said.
Surveillance footage showed it was being towed by a Chevrolet pickup truck, which also appeared in footage of the mechanical bull theft near Cleveland and Ninth Street around 8:20 p.m. on November 30.
Each bull is worth around $ 8,000.
Their owner reported the theft on social media, prompting witnesses to contact investigators and direct them to West Barham Avenue.
While there, police found a man from Santa Rosa loading the bulls into a vehicle. He bought them but was preparing to return the bulls after seeing the social media posts of owner Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Chris Mahurin said.
The buyer is also seen as a victim and “basically he no longer has the money he paid the suspects,” Mahurin said.
Investigators arrested the suspects on Monday morning and found stolen goods, including power tools, bolt cutters and saws. There were also “several different styles of tow hitch receivers to facilitate trailer theft,” police said.
Galvez is accused of being the driver on both flights. While Gilshenan is suspected of being involved in the theft of mechanical bulls, police said.
The pair are also suspected of stealing the contents of a cargo trailer on Coffey Lane in Santa Rosa, as well as taking an entire container to Redwood Valley, north of Ukiah.
Galvez was arrested on suspicion of grand theft, grand theft of a vehicle, burglary, possession of stolen property and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Gilshenan was arrested on suspicion of burglary, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit a felony and violation of parole.
You can reach editor Colin Atagi at [email protected] On Twitter @colin_atagi.