Press release from Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On 06-24-2013, approximately 8:30 a.m. two Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputies patrolling on US 101 between Big Lagoon and Dry Lagoon, spotted a 1998 Ford white van parked in a no overnight camping spot near Kane Road, Orick. The deputies pulled in behind the van to speak with the driver and make sure he had not been camping there or intended to camp there. When the deputies contacted the driver they saw he was in the driver seat of the vehicle and heard the engine running. The driver identified himself as David Tatro, 40 years old from Eureka. When the deputies spoke with Tatro they noticed he was wearing gloves, they also saw there was a box of live ammunition on the dashboard of the van. They saw two personal checks on the ground near the van that were not in Tatro’s name. The deputies detained Tatro for driving on a suspended driver’s license and searched the van. Inside the van they located two police scanners, a window punch for breaking windows, bolt cutters, a 9 mm luger semi-auto handgun, ammunition approximately 5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, scale, torch, night vision goggles and a collapsible baton (known as an ASP). During the search the deputies were contacted by Sheriff’s Office Dispatch advising them a man and his wife just reported being the victim of a vehicle burglary at Dry Lagoon. The citizens reported parking their vehicle in the parking lot of Dry Lagoon and going for approximately one hour hike. When they returned to their vehicle the citizens saw the vehicles drivers’ side window was smashed and all their items were stolen.

The deputies located all of the victim’s stolen property in the white van, including jewelry, the wife’ purse, husband’s wallet, keys, I-Pad, luggage and computer. The victims were shown the property by the deputies who confirmed it was all theirs.

David Tatro was arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, possession of methamphetamine, possession of stolen property, driving on a suspended license, possession of burglary tools and possession of an illegal weapon. He was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked and his bail was set at $50,000.00.

Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriffs Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.