Shortly after midnight, an alert citizen noticed a Chevy Tahoe with a gold driver's door driving slowly through their neighborhood. Suspicious of the vehicle's behavior, the observant resident immediately called 911 to report the suspicious activity. While speaking with NWECC dispatchers, the caller observed the vehicle stop next to a trailer parked on the street, where its occupants began stealing lawn equipment.
Lake Worth Police officers quickly responded to the scene and located the suspect vehicle as it was leaving the neighborhood. A traffic stop was conducted, and inside the Tahoe, officers found the stolen lawn equipment. The driver, 19-year-old Joel Valderas, and passengers, 39-year-old Pavel Lopez and 36-year-old Luis Gallardo, were arrested and charged with Theft of Property.
During the investigation, officers discovered that the center seats of the Tahoe had been removed, likely to accommodate larger stolen items. Law enforcement agencies handling similar theft cases involving a late-model Chevy Tahoe with a gold driver's door are encouraged to contact Lake Worth Criminal Investigations Division at LWCID@lakeworthtx.org.
