Police confiscate 30 firearms and several pounds of marijuana from 2 Watsonville homes

Authorities arrested a man Thursday evening after 30 firearms, at least 20 pounds of marijuana and several suspected stolen items were found during a search of his two homes in Watsonville.

Watsonville police, with the help of the Santa Cruz County Auto Theft Reduction Enforcement Program (SCARE), served search warrants to the homes of Jim Rodriguez, 41.

A search of the first home resulted in nine firearms being confiscated along with more than 20 pounds of marijuana packaged for sale.

Several other stolen items such as high end bicycles, electronics, a high capacity magazine and body armor were also found.

Investigators then served a search warrant to Rodriguez’s second home where an additional 21 firearms, including a high powered rifle and several shotguns were seized.

Additional items found include suspected meth, packaged marijuana for sale, a taser and stolen construction equipment.

Some of the stolen firearms recovered were identified as being stolen from Markley’s Gun Shop earlier this month and from a residential burglary that took place last week.

Rodriguez was arrested on several charges and booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail.

The Watsonville Police Department will hold a viewing of the stolen items to give victims of theft an opportunity to reclaim their items. A date has not been set.