Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Aug. 3, 2022, at about 6:44 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of Forson Road in McKinleyville for the report of a suspicious person possibly casing homes in the neighborhood.

Deputies arrived in the area and contacted the individual, 31-year-old Jordan Ray Steele. Steele was found to be on probation and had an out of county warrant for his arrest. During a search of Steele and his belongings incident to arrest, deputies located pepper spray, prescription opioid strips, various keys and other items.

Later that morning, a McKinleyville resident contacted the Sheriff’s Office to report a vehicle burglary. The resident was able to provide residential security footage depicting Steele and another suspect making unauthorized entry into her vehicle. Among the items reported stolen from the vehicle were items located by deputies during their search of Steele.

Steele was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of grand theft (PC 487(a)), possession of stolen property (PC 496(a)), possession of pepper spray by a prohibited person (PC 22810) and violation of probation (PC 1203.2(a)).

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the alert community member for reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhood. Together we can make our community safer. If you see something suspicious or out of place in your neighborhood, say something – contact law enforcement right away.

Anyone with information about this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.