Sonoma Co. 3 women arrested for alleged attempted burglary of gas station

By Bay City News Service

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office arrested three Salinas women on suspicion of attempted burglary of a Schellville gas station Tuesday morning.

Deputies responded around midnight to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked outside the closed Bonneau's Towing & Mechanical at Arnold and Fremont drives. There was an attempted burglary at the gas station in June, so deputies watched the gas station from a distance Tuesday, sheriff's officials said.

A deputy saw a van leave the area and a black Volkswagen Jetta pull up near the gas station 10 minutes later. Someone exited the car and replaced its license plates with a stolen license plate, according to the sheriff's office.

The car pulled up closer to the gas station and a suspect in black clothing and a bandana left the car and approached the gas station. The deputy then heard glass breaking and an audible alarm. The suspect sped away in the Volkswagen north on Arnold Drive, sheriff's officials said.

Other deputies waiting in the area stopped the car at Arnold and Mission drives. Deputies arrested Kristine Razo, 40, Karen Loggins, 22, and Veronica Powers, 32, all of Salinas. They were booked in the county jail on suspicion of attempted burglary, possession of a drug, conspiracy and resisting arrest.

In the car deputies allegedly found a notebook with addresses of gas stations, a hammer, screwdrivers, heroin, a smoking pipe, bandanas, gloves and dark clothing, the sheriff's office said.

Detectives are investigating whether the three women are suspects in a string of lottery ticket thefts at Bay Area gas stations.