MENDOCINO CO., 7/21/25 — Deputies with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Ukiah man on suspicion of multiple thefts and fraudulent credit card purchases, the office said Sunday.
In April, an employee with PG&E told the Sheriff’s Office three access cards and about $1,900 worth of items, including an iPad, were stolen from a PG&E vehicle on state Highway 20 near Irmulco Road. A tracking system led investigators to the iPad, which was found in a dumpster in the Willits area. The stolen access cards were used during an attempted purchase of about $2,200 worth of items from Coast Hardware in Willits. One of the cards was also used at New Trend Wireless and a gas station.
A vehicle associated with this case was identified as a Toyota Camry registered to Ukiah resident Joseph Andersen. Detectives allege other things also tied Andersen to the case.
On June 26, a Boonville resident contacted the Sheriff’s Office to report a burglary of a storage unit in the 1700 block of state Highway 253, in which three Stihl brand chainsaws were stolen valuing $3,500. Detectives again believe that Andersen was associated with this theft.
On June 29, a Ukiah resident reported a stolen credit card, which the thief used to buy about $2,000 worth of items. More attempts to use the card were made but were unsuccessful. Detectives allegedly tied Andersen’s Camry to this case as well.
Investigators located Andersen at a Super 8 Motel in Fort Bragg on July 10. A search allegedly revealed methamphetamine, burglary tools, and other pieces of evidence. Deputies also learned that Andersen had two prior convictions for theft and illegal substance crimes.
Andersen was booked into the Mendocino County Jail on suspicion of driving without a license, disorderly conduct, grand theft, and petty theft. As of Sunday, he was still in jail being held on $146,000 bail.