VISALIA, Calif. (FOX26) — A man has been arrested following a joyride in a stolen golf cart and a theft spree at the Visalia Country Club on Sunday morning.
The Visalia Police Officers responded to the country club on North Ranch Street just after 7:30 a.m. after reports of theft and vandalism.
Officers discovered that at around 4:00 a.m., three males had breached the club’s fence and taken joyrides in two of the club’s golf carts and a third cart owned by a private individual.
The suspects caused approximately $1,000 in damage to one of the country club’s carts and an estimated $15,000 in damage to the privately owned cart.
They also stole a golf bag from the private cart, which contained golf clubs, equipment, jewelry, and cash, with a total estimated value of $17,550.
The Visalia PD Property Crimes Unit took over the investigation, leading detectives to a vehicle in Exeter.
A search warrant was obtained, and detectives, with the help of patrol officers, contacted the vehicle’s owner, 19-year-old Aidan Mendez.
The search resulted in the recovery of a substantial portion of the stolen items, valued at approximately $16,600.
Mendez was arrested and booked into the Tulare County Adult Pre-Trial Facility on charges of vehicle theft, grand theft, vandalism, and conspiracy.
