Craigslist posting leads to arrest of Santa Rosa man suspected in Cotati burglary
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A Santa Rosa man selling a green hardtop for a Mazda sports car posted an online for-sale ad and got a visit from a potential buyer.
Instead of a sale, the meeting turned into an arrest as the the top had been stolen and the potential buyer was an undercover Cotati police officer, said Cotati Sgt. Steve Bourns.
Michael Thomas Herrin, 33, was taken into custody and remained in the Sonoma County Jail Tuesday in lieu of $11,000 bail.
Cotati police learned of the missing car top on Sunday.
The Mazda Miata's owner was away on vacation and the car had been parked at an East Cotati Avenue residence. A person watching the house for the victim on Sunday saw the car was missing its roof.
Officers did some research and spotted a Craigslist ad for what could be the missing hardtop, Bourns said.
Worth about $1,200, the green top was for sale for $700 or "best offer."
On Monday officers contacted the man via text messages and set up an appointment to see the top. Posing as a buyer, an officer went to an apartment on Mendocino Avenue Monday evening.
Herrin was arrested after officers determined they had a match.
Herrin was arrested on suspicion of burglary, possessing stolen property and violating his probation, Bourns said.
