After 20+ Bay Area thefts, an alleged ‘Red Bull thief’ is behind bars.
Vodka and energy drinks have returned to the liquor store.
A guy is suspected of stealing almost $14,000 in Red Bull, vodka, and other products from a Vallejo liquor store over the course of more than 20 visits.
Toulon Thurston, 33, allegedly made a habit of taking multiple cases of energy drinks and bottles of New Amsterdam vodka from a company on the 900 block of Admiral Callaghan Lane. Authorities arrived at the store on Oct. 15 and received information about “the Red Bull Thief,” along with his suspected getaway car and getaway driver, according to a social media post by the Vallejo Police Department.
Thurston’s vehicle was discovered near Florida and Yuba streets. When a store employee came on the scene, he recognized Thurston and another suspect, 37-year-old Teaawonna Rucks, who was listed on the Solano County inmate registry.
The police retrieved Red Bulls and liquor bottles from the vehicle and delivered them to the liquor outlet.
According to authorities, a records check found Thurston had a $25,000 warrant out for his arrest in Solano County for alleged possession of a stolen car. He was also wanted in Napa County on a $10,000 theft accusation.
Thurston was still being held without bond in the Solano County Jail as of Monday afternoon. Rucks was not on the county’s current inmate roster.
According to Sgt. Rashad Hollis, the Vallejo Police Department’s public information officer, understaffing difficulties frequently cause delays in responding to some incidents in Vallejo. He claims it’s typical for criminals — in fact, it’s their “MO” — to return to the same businesses and take the same items over and over, while loss prevention personnel are frequently prohibited from physically assaulting suspects.
“They go in, they get their bags and they go straight to the same product,” she claimed. He goes on to say, “They pack up and they go to the car and someone’s out there waiting.”
Property crimes have gotten so terrible in Vallejo, according to Hollis, that certain companies, such as The Grind Cafe, which was burglarized twice last year, have been forced to pay exorbitant insurance premiums. In a contentious meeting last month, the city launched a program to assist small businesses in staying afloat.
