A 33-year-old Ceres man was arrested Saturday afternoon, June 20, as he was caught trying to cut a catalytic converter from a stolen SUV as it was parked in the alley behind 1936 Darrah Street.

Police responded to the area at 3:59 p.m. and found Javiar Mendez, 33, of Ceres, under a blue 2000 Durango SUV.

A records check indicated the SUV had been stolen from a Modesto address. Mendez told police that he didn't know the vehicle was stolen and that a friend asked him to cut out the catalytic converter. But he refused to answer questions about the identity of the alleged friend and how the vehicle got to Ceres.

Mendez was booked for possession of stolen property.