Suspected Petaluma car burglars arrested

A barking dog alerted east Petaluma residents early Friday to suspected auto break-ins, and a man and a woman were arrested after a call to police.

The suspects, both Petaluma residents, were taken into custody about 3:30 a.m. as they were driving out of the Photinia Place neighborhood, Sgt. Steve Nelson said in a news release.

Officers arrested driver Mark Castaneda, 24, and passenger Jennifer Doris, 24. They suspect at least Castaneda of burglarizing five to 10 vehicles in the westside neighborhood, police said.

The owners who lost items had left their cars unlocked, police said.

Castaneda was found with an undisclosed amount of heroin, plus property from three vehicles, Nelson said. Castaneda also was on probation for a drug conviction.

During a daylight search of the neighborhood, in the western hills off I Street, officers found discarded property along a creek. Nelson said the items were from several cars in the neighborhood.

Castaneda was being held without bail because of the probation violation. Bail for Doris was $10,000, involving charges of suspected drug possession.

Nelson said some residents may not yet realize they've had things taken from their vehicles and asked them to report any losses to Officer Garrett Giaviano at (707) 778-4372.