A 28-year-old Merced man was arrested on charges of grand theft, felony vandalism, possession of burglary tools and possession of a controlled substance relating to his Dec. 22 arrest at Acuna Auto Body at 2015 Rockefeller Drive.

At 6:23 a.m., the owner’s son was inside the shop and heard noises outside and saw a man breaking into parked vehicles. The burglar appeared to have arrived in a Toyota pickup parked in front of the business.

Officer Kao Saechao arrived and saw Douglas Means, 28, of Merced, sitting inside the pickup and ordered him out. Other officers arrived and assisted in detaining Means. 

A black Land Rover parked next to Means’ vehicle had the driver’s side window shattered with the front end jacked up. Scattered inside the bed of Means’ pickup were several hand and power tools and an open tool box with tools spread around it. 

A catalytic converter, with fresh cut marks on both ends and lying in the bed of Means’ pickup, appeared to have come from a Ford van parked near the shop waiting to be worked on.

    A small plastic Ziploc baggie containing suspected methamphetamine was located in the cup holder of Douglas’ vehicle.