A suspected vehicle burglar believed to be stealing vehicle registration cards was nabbed in a Carson City parking lot Tuesday.
John Wayne Warren, 28, was arrested behind SuperKmart after a short foot chase on the Silver Oak Golf Course. He is being held on suspicion of two counts of automobile burglary. He does not have a Carson City address.
Chief deputy Lt. Scott Burau said the extent of his alleged thievery is still in question.
"The investigation is ongoing," he said.
A rash of vehicle break-ins has plagued neighborhoods throughout Carson City in the last couple of weeks, in apparent attempts to obtain vehicle registration and insurance papers. Burau said Sunday that the thefts seem to be part of a document laundering operation.
Investigators believe that the documents may be altered to make it appear as if the driver has insurance or proof of registration. In many cases the thefts were not limited to paperwork, he said.
"Other valuables have also been taken," he said.
Between 20 and 30 car burglaries have been reported to the sheriff's department in the last 10 days. Investigators have been working on the case, closing in on a small group of suspects.
Most of the cars targeted in the break-ins were unlocked. No pattern related to the makes or models of the cars has been recorded, Burau said.