Man suspected of burglarizing Watsonville company making hand sanitizer arrested

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION) A man suspected of burglarizing a Watsonville company that has been producing hand sanitizer during the coronavirus pandemic was arrested Thursday, but police are still looking for other suspects.

The company, Smith & Vandiver, has been producing thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer, according to police, but burglars stole more than $12,000 worth of equipment.

Officers said they found most of the equipment that was stolen over the weekend from the West Beach Street facility and were able to identify a suspect.

Detectives went to a homeless camp near Ohlone Parkway and Manabe Ow Road Thursday. There they found and arrested one of the suspects, 47-year-old Dustin Dean Davis.

Davis was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail on charges that include burglary, looting during a State of Emergency, violating the county's Shelter in Place order and parole violation.

Watsonville police are still investigating the suspects who have not been caught. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Tyler Wildey at 831-768-3356.