On October 14, 2013, the Amador County Sheriff’s Office was called to Wal-Mart in Martell to investigate the report of vandalism to several vending machines located in the enclosed vestibule area of the business. Based upon evidence at the scene and surveillance footage captured at Wal-Mart, the responding deputy sheriff determined the suspect inspected the machines to determine how they locked and then left the building to obtain a prying tool from his vehicle. The suspect returned a short time later and pried the machines open so that the coin box could be removed. During the course of this burglary the suspect obtained approximately $80.00 in coins and caused $1,600.00 in damage to the machines.
The Amador County Sheriff’s Office noted that the October 14th crime at Wal-Mart was similar in nature to other investigations involving vandalism and thefts from coin operated machines at Wal-Mart and Round Table Pizza in Martell. In all incidents the suspect entered the businesses and gained access to the coin box by prying their locking mechanisms open. The other incidents at Wal-Mart took place on November 11, 2012 and on July 19, 2013. The incident at Round Table Pizza took place on August 8, 2011. The suspect stole approximately $800 and caused $6000 in damage during the commission of these crimes.
Based upon information gathered by surveillance footage at Wal-Mart, Sheriff’s Deputies were able to identify and track a suspect vehicle to the Jackson Rancheria Casino. Using information provided by Jackson Rancheria Casino Security, deputies identified a person of interest residing in Calaveras County. Upon interviewing that subject it was determined that he had taken his vehicle to an automotive repair shop in Calaveras County. Upon conducting additional interviews in Calaveras County, a suspect, 36 year-old Jeffrey William Forster, of Clements was identified.
Forster was contacted by Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies. Forster, an employee of an automotive repair shop in Calaveras County, admitted to taking the vehicle from his employment and utilizing it to commit the most recent crime. During the course of the interview, Forster confessed to all four crimes. Additionally, several items of evidence linking Forster to the aforementioned burglaries were found in his possession.
The Amador County Sheriff’s Office submitted their investigation to the Amador County District Attorney’s Office. Based upon the District Attorney’s complaint, an Amador Superior Court warrant was issued for Forster’s arrest, charging him with two counts of violating California Penal Code (PC) section 459 PC, burglary; three counts of PC section 594(b)(1), vandalism; and three counts of PC section 484(a), petty theft.
Forster was arrested without incident by Amador County Sheriff’s Deputies on October 27, 2013. Forster is being held at the Amador County Jail with bail set at $80,000.
