Coin theft suspect nabbed after fleeing past Livingston police department

A Turlock man wearing house slippers tried to steal a jar of coins from a restaurant earlier this week, but didn’t get far after running directly past the city police department — twice.

Peter L. Garcia, 21, left one of his slippers in front of the police station’s front door as he ran past just after 5 p.m. Wednesday, Chief Ruben Chavez confirmed.

Police video

“It would make it easier if they all ran to us when they do these types of things,” Chavez told the Sun-Star. “He’s not from here and I don’t think he realized where he was running to.”

An employee of the China Garden restaurant chased after the suspect and came into the department to alert police. Chavez, who was getting ready to leave for the day, came outside, and called for other officers. Garcia, meanwhile, ran around the building, past the department’s a second time, where another officer spotted him and gave chase.

Chavez and Detective Patrick Radke caught up to Garcia around Fifth and F streets. Police said Garcia struggled briefly, but was taken to the ground. “I think he just ran out of breath by that point,” Chavez said.

Representatives of the China Garden restaurant declined to comment Thursday.

Garcia told police he was in town with a friend to pickup a medical prescription to help him with a drug problem.

“He said he took (the jar) because he wanted one more fix of heroin before he tried to quit,” Chavez said.

Garcia entered the restaurant in the 1400 block of B Street after picking up the prescription from a nearby pharmacy, asked a employee a question and swiped the tip jar from the counter, which contained a little more than $25 cash, police said.

Chavez said he believes the incident also highlights a problem law enforcement officials have with the newly adopted Prop. 47, which was voted into law in November. The proposition reduced certain drug and theft-related crimes from felonies to misdemeanors.

Prior to the passage of Prop. 47, Chavez said, these types of incidents would have landed a suspect in jail on at least two felony charges. However, under the new law, police cited Garcia for two misdemeanors and released him without booking him into jail.

“I think the voters approved it because the intent was to give some of these guys a second chance, but I don’t think the voters really understood the way some of these people would abuse the law,” Chavez said. “I think it’s having a tremendous impact on public safety and law enforcement. I think the voters got cheated. This is an example.”

Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke and other law enforcement leaders have also frequently criticized the law since it passed two months ago. Warnke, in prior interviews with the Sun-Star, has said “voters were sold a bill of goods that will have a very negative impact on communities.”

Garcia’s release was not just an issue for police, Chavez said.

“He came here with a ride from a friend,” Chavez said. “But after all this happened, his friend left him behind. So, Mr. Garcia had to find a ride back to Turlock on his own.”

This story was originally published January 8, 2015 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Coin theft suspect nabbed after fleeing past Livingston police department."