Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Dec. 16, 2022, at about 1 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a business on the 1600 block of Holly Drive in McKinleyville for the report of a security alarm activation.

Deputies arrived in the area and located 48-year-old John Robert Posey III hiding between parked vehicles. Deputies contacted Posey and learned that he had been siphoning gasoline from vehicles belonging to the business just prior to deputies’ arrival. During a search of Posey incident to arrest, deputies located drug paraphernalia.

Posey was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of tampering with an automobile (VC 10852), trespassing (PC 602(K)), petty theft (PC 488) and possession of drug paraphernalia (HS 11364(a)).

When the price of gas rises, so do the number of gas-theft incidents. Here’s how you can help protect your vehicle:

• Always park in well-lit, well-traveled locations.
• Park in your garage or driveway whenever possible. If you have to park in the street, do so under street lighting near your house.
• Avoid parking in public places for extended periods of time.
• Position your vehicle so the fuel door is seen from a main road.
• Consider installing a locking gas cap, even if your fuel door locks.
• Always lock your vehicle and remove any valuables from sight, even if you are home.
• Consider installing motion-activated security cameras or alarms.
• Remember to call 911 if you see suspicious behavior, such as someone putting a siphon into a gas tank or acting strangely around parked cars.

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.