HOLLISTER, Calif. - Hollister Police have arrested 38-year-old Joe Parra for multiple charges after he stole a vehicle with help from an unwitting tow truck driver.
PRESS RELEASE:
On September 10, 2012, at about 2:00 am, a local tow truck company received a request for a tow of a vehicle on the 800 block of Industrial Drive. The caller identified himself as an auto club member and advised his car would not start. The suspect met with the tow truck driver and
provided his auto club membership card. The vehicle was towed to the 1200 block of Rancho Drive.
Later that day, the car owner called police to report his vehicle stolen. Police were able to
determine through surveillance video the tow truck involvement and contacted the tow truck
driver. The driver cooperated with police and provided the address to where the vehicle had
been towed. The vehicle was located on Rancho Drive and returned to the legal owner.
At approximately 9:30 pm, Officer Luis Toribio contacted an individual walking on Memorial
Drive for an unrelated matter. The man identified himself to Officer Toribio. However, the
name the man provided did not match the name tattooed on the man's body. After further
investigation, Officer Toribio was able to determine the man's correct name as Joe Parra. Parra
had a warrant for his arrest and was in possession of a controlled substance.
Officer Toribio also located a reported stolen wallet on Parra and an auto club card with the same name of the person that had requested the tow earlier that day. Parra was subsequently identified as the same person that had requested the tow of the vehicle taken from Industrial Drive. He was booked at the San Benito County Jail for possession of a controlled substance, possession of stolen property, vehicle theft and a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest.
Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Officer Luis Toribio at the
Hollister Police Department at 636-4330. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may call WeTip
at (800) 78-CRIME. Information provided to WeTip may qualify for a reward.
