Fresno man reunited with vintage vehicle after theft, suspect arrested

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – A Fresno man and his vintage Dodge Dart have been reunited after detectives say they recovered it from a thief.

According to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, detectives with the Fresno Help Eliminate Auto Theft (HEAT) Task Force were able to return a stolen 1967 Dodge Dart to its rightful owner on Friday.

On Tuesday, detectives say they received an anonymous tip that pointed to where the stolen car was located – a home on Myrtle Avenue in Raisin City.

The Sheriff’s Office says they arrived to find the garage door of the home wide open, revealing the Dart and its carnapper. They arrested the man, 50-year-old Robert Lopez, and hauled the Dart back to Fresno. Detectives also recovered a stolen 2003 Yamaha Quad from the house.

Deputies say Lopez Lopez is currently booked at the Fresno County Jail on a $115,000 bail. He was arrested on suspicion of auto theft and committing a felony while out on bail after he had bonded out in March on domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon charges.

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