WATSONVILLE—Watsonville police on Thursday arrested a man for allegedly burglarizing a business that is making hand sanitizer for the ongoing coronavirus epidemic.
Dustin Dean Davis, 47, was charged with burglary, looting during a state of emergency and violating the county’s shelter-in-place order. He also faces a parole violation.
Davis, who is listed as a transient, was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Davis was allegedly one of several suspects who broke into Smith & Vandiver and stole more than $12,000 worth of equipment, Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said.
“Our officers managed to track down the majority of the equipment stolen over the weekend from the company’s West Beach Street facility,” Pulido said. “They also identified one of the commercial burglars.”
WPD Detectives canvassed a homeless encampment in the area of Ohlone Parkway and Manabe Ow Road, where they arrested Davis.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Det.Tyler Wildey at 768-3356.
