A Buellton woman was arrested Dec 5 by the Santa Barbara
Police after taking a joy ride in a DHL delivery van down State Street in Santa
Barbara.
Lt. Paul McCaffrey said Laura Rojas Alvarado, 47, of Buellton, stole the van just after noon while the driver went inside Longs Drug Store. Police were dispatched to the area to be on the lookout for a bright yellow van, which was later spotted in the parking lot of the Cares Mental Health center, 2034 De La Vina St.
According to police reports, apparently Alvarado stopped at the Cares center to tell the staff that she had stolen the van. She had a large butcher knife when she was confronted by officers, but was arrested without incident.
She later told offers she had considered using the knife to harm either herself or others. She was booked into county jail for alleged auto theft and possession of a dangerous weapon.
Earlier in the day police investigated a report of an attempted
auto theft when a woman matching Alvarado’s description tried to drive away a
customer’s vehicle at Educated Car Wash, 3735 State St. She was stopped by car
wash employees and left the area before police could arrive.