ABOVE: Surveillance footage courtesy Three Corners Market

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

A McKinleyville man wanted in connection with a smash-and-grab burglary near Freshwater has been arrested.

On January 8, 2023, at about 4:27 a.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a business on the 5900 block of Myrtle Avenue near Freshwater for the report of a burglary.

Deputies arrived at the business and observed major damage to the front doors and the business’ ATM. During their investigation, deputies obtained surveillance footage depicting two suspects ramming the business with a vehicle and then attempting to drive off with the ATM.

Through further investigation, deputies identified one of the suspects as 41-year-old Nathan Aaron Ruptak. On January 16, at about 10:47 p.m., deputies on patrol in the McKinleyville area located Ruptak at a residence on the 1400 block of Anderson Avenue. Ruptak was taken into custody without incident. During a search of Ruptak incident to arrest, deputies located ammunition.

Ruptak was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of burglary (PC 459/461(b)), vandalism (PC 594(b)(1)) and prohibited person in possession of ammunition (PC 30305(a), in addition to warrant charges of grand theft of a firearm (PC 487(d)(2)) and burglary (PC 459/461(b)).

This case is still under investigation. Anyone with information about this case or involved suspects 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.