Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On 7-7-13 at about 5:48 am, Officers of the Eureka Police Department responded to the area of the 2900 block of A Street for a vehicle theft that had just occurred. Dispatch advised that a U-Haul truck pulling a trailer with the victim’s car loaded on it had just been stolen from in front of the victim’s residence.

Officers began searching the area and located the U-Haul truck turning onto Harris Avenue from “L” Street. The occupants of the U-Haul truck jumped from the vehicle and fled on foot. One of the suspects was taken into custody at gun point. He was identified as Jeff Peter Thomsen (34 years old of Eureka). The other suspect fled through backyards in the neighborhood.

While Thomsen was being taken into custody, the U-Haul rolled into a telephone pole at the corner of Harris and K Streets. The U-Haul had been left in gear as the suspects exited the vehicle.

A K-9 was deployed and tracked the fleeing suspect to Sequoia Park, however officers were unable to locate him.

Thomsen was booked into the Humboldt County Correction Facility on charges of vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, and probation violation. Thomsen is on active probation for possession of stolen property.

As a result of the investigation, an arrest warrant is being sought for Canyon Lee Backues (19 years old of Eureka) as the suspect who fled the scene. The Eureka Police Department is actively seeking Backues in this matter.

This is an open investigation and anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Eureka Police Officer Ben Omey at 707-441-4060.