SRPD arrests two people for organized retail crime theft

On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, officers with the Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) were dispatched to Dick’s Sporting Goods at 1975 Cleveland Avenue for a report of petty theft. A person was observed stealing more than $900 worth of merchandise before leaving the area in a waiting white Mercedes Benz. A member of the security team was able to provide the SRPD dispatcher with an excellent description of the suspect and fleeing vehicle and license plate. Based on the information by the security team member about the direction in which the vehicle fled, additional SRPD officers began searching the area for the vehicle.

Two SRPD officers, Officer Loewen and Officer Berg, believed that based on the time of the theft, had the suspect vehicle decided to take Highway 101 South, it should pass them if they waited in the area of the freeway and Baker Avenue. The officers responded to that location and just as they arrived in the area, the white Mercedes Benz passed them. The officers positioned themselves behind the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle exited the freeway and pulled over in the parking lot of a hotel located in the 2600-block of Corby Avenue. 

The driver, Michael Lyons, a 56-year-old transient from Santa Rosa, complied with officer instructions and was detained without incident. The passenger, Evan Thomas, a 30-year-old Sebastopol resident, chose instead to jump out of the car and try to evade arrest by running away. Thomas jumped several fences to get back onto Highway 101, then ran across the busy freeway toward Santa Rosa Avenue. Thomas continued running until officers on the east side of the freeway were able to locate him in the 2600-block of Santa Rosa Avenue, and take him into custody without incident.

When officers searched the vehicle Lyons and Thomas were stopped in, they located more than just the stolen property from Dick’s Sporting Goods. Additional property was found that is believed to have been stolen from at least two other local businesses. Burglary tools such as lock picks and “Slim Jim” vehicle lock picking tool, and empty bags believed to be used in carrying stolen items out of stores were also found in the car. 

The security team at Dick’s Sporting Goods were able to determine Thomas was responsible for at least three other reported thefts from their business since July, 2023. Additionally, it is believed Thomas had visited the store on October 24, 2023, just one day prior to this incident, and helped himself to an expensive Yeti cooler. It is believed Thomas is responsible for at least $3,185 in retail theft from just Dick’s Sporting Goods. 

Michael Lyons was arrested and booked into jail for the following offenses:

490.4(a)(1) PC - Felony organized retail crime theft

459 PC - Felony commercial burglary

466 PC - Misdemeanor possession of burglary tools

3452 PC - Felony violation of Postrelease Community Supervision (PRCS)
 

Evan Thomas was arrested and booked into jail for the following offenses:

490.4(a)(1) PC - Felony organized retail crime theft

459 PC - Felony commercial burglary

466 PC - Misdemeanor possession of burglary tools

148(a)(1) PC - Misdemeanor willful obstruction of a peace officer 

Officers are continuing to investigate this incident, to include the identification of additional victims and stolen property. California Penal Code 494.4, the Organized Retail Theft Law, was enacted into law in 2018, and defines organized retail crime theft as theft of merchandise from a store or online marketplace by two or more people acting in concert. Though theft has always been against the law, 494.4 PC allows for law enforcement agencies to better track the thefts specifically associated with organized retail crimes. 

Santa Rosa Police Department case number 23-13560.

Media Contact:

Patricia Seffens
Sergeant & Public Information Officer
707-543-3634
pseffens@srcity.org