Ceres Police made an arrest last week of a 31-year-old Modesto man who drove a stolen and altered Honda Civic into the Ceres Walmart.

At 11:31 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10, Ceres Police Officer Jesus Salinas was patrolling Mitchell Road near Walmart when he noticed a black Honda Civic pull into the Walmart parking lot. He ran the license plate of the car, which came back as a “lost or stolen” license plate. The registration linked the license plate to a 2017 Chevrolet Traverse, not a Honda.

Salinas pulled in behind the Honda as it parked in a stall near the garden center and ordered driver Buik Hooton, 31, of Modesto, out of the car. A compliant Hooton was taken into custody without incident. 

The interior of the Honda was stripped of the rear passenger door panel, stereo and center console and front passenger seat. The registered owner of the Honda was called down to the store. He advised that the front end of the Honda had been altered from the original. Another license plate belonging to a different vehicle was located inside the car. 

Hooton was booked into the Public Safety Center on charges of grand theft auto and possession of stolen property.