Sonora police make 2 arrests in theft from Walmart
Two Modesto men were arrested Saturday morning in the act of stealing from the Walmart on Sanguinetti Road in Sonora, police in the foothill city reported Monday. Two other men initially suspected of being involved were arrested on unrelated charges.
Officers were called to the Crossroads Shopping Center store about 11:20 a.m. Store security was watching two men as one removed security devices from merchandise and the other acted as lookout, police said.
The merchandise being taken was put in a shopping cart near a store exit. Both men in the store – identified as Joshua William Henke, 36, and John Earl Fodrie III, 27 – realized they were being watched and left the store within five minutes of each other, police said.
A Sonora officer approached one of them and saw him toss a tool used to remove security devices, police said. The second man was detained shortly afterward. Police said Henke and Fodrie admitted to working together to commit theft.
Items being taken included a DVD player, a modem, dog food, and other snacks and merchandise, said Sonora police Lt. Turu VanderWiel. The value was more than $600.
Henke and Fodrie were booked into the Tuolumne County jail on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime, retail burglary and possession of burglary tools. Each is on Stanislaus County probation for theft and has an active petty case theft in the Stanislaus Superior Court system.
Henke’s criminal history includes DUI, while Fodrie’s includes hit-and-run and possession of narcotics.
The two other men arrested in Sonora by investigating officers are Dale Cabral, 35, of Tuolumne City, who was wanted on a misdemeanor warrant, and Andrew Tuchsen, 33, of Sonora, who gave false identification to an officer. He was arrested and found in possession of a hypodermic syringe and controlled substances, including heroin, police said.
This story was originally published March 6, 2017 at 7:45 AM with the headline "Sonora police make 2 arrests in theft from Walmart."