A 39-year-old Modesto man was arrested Sunday evening for auto theft after attempting to run from Ceres Police.

At 4:51 p.m., Officer Tyler Wilson was alerted to a stolen vehicle detected in the area of Hatch and Herndon roads. The officer searched but was unable to find the Fiat 500L. Meanwhile the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office Air Unit was buzzing overhead and located the car near the intersection of Sonora Avenue and South Ninth Street. Officer Wilson drove to the location where the car had been parked with driver David Lopez, 39, of Modesto still sitting behind the wheel. Lopez saw the officer coming and jumped out and ran but was apprehended close by.

Lopez was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center for auto theft and possession of a stolen vehicle.