Police in California have reported that four men and a juvenile were taken into custody on June 3 in connection with an alleged theft of a quantity of the popular energy drink Red Bull worth approximately $4,700. The men, who are all said to be Oakland residents, were transported to a Solano County detention facility after being processed. The minor was taken to a juvenile hall. The men are facing a variety of charges including conspiracy, being in possession of stolen property and suspicion of burglary as well as a number of probation and motor vehicle violations.
The events unfolded after officers with the Vacaville Police Department responded to a grocery store on Harbison Drive at approximately 7:33 p.m. The VPD had received a call about a group of men who had been seen rolling a handcart stacked with crates of Red Bull across the store’s parking lot and loading the cart and crates into the back of a rented truck. Police say that the truck pulled away as they approached and ignored a stop sign and ran through a red light as it sped away.
Police say that the truck pulled onto Interstate 80 after leaving the grocery store, and it was soon pulled over by an officer who saw it in the westbound lanes. According to a police report, a search of the truck revealed a significant amount of Red Bull, and officers believe that the individuals taken into custody had visited a number of stores before being observed on Harbison Drive.
Those charged with theft may face severe penalties, but establishing proof beyond a reasonable doubt is sometimes difficult for prosecutors. Theft cases often hinge on contraband recovered during police searches, but criminal defense attorneys may seek to have this evidence ruled inadmissible if the law enforcement officers involved have strayed beyond the boundaries established by the search and seizure provisions of the Fourth Amendment.
Source: CBS S.F. Bay Area, 5 Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Truckload Of Red Bull Worth $4,700 , Staff report, June 4, 2016
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