Police: Petaluma men stole Christmas presents from porches

Two Petaluma men were arrested Thursday on suspicion of stealing packages off porches. Gregory Johnson, 44, and Kirk Andrus, 36, were found with stolen packaged presents, including children’s toys and Christmas ornaments, police said in a news release.

Police said a witness observed the men driving around and taking packages off Petaluma porches Thursday and called police. Officers located the suspects’ vehicle at the home of the registered owner. When they went to speak with the two men in the driveway, one of them fled, police said. Johnson was detained in the driveway, and Andrus was found hiding in a shed in the backyard, according to police.

During a search of the garage, officers located a pink motorized child’s car and other items associated with the suspected Christmas morning thefts, police said. They also located Christmas gifts reported stolen from a porch in west Petaluma and tools taken from another porch in west Petaluma on Wednesday. All the items were returned to their owners, police said.

Johnson and Andrus were booked into Sonoma County Jail on charges of possessing stolen property, possessing drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest.

Anyone who may have been a victim can call Petaluma police at 778-4372.