A 25-year-old Modesto man was arrested for stealing a van at the AAA Ceres Self Storage at1777 Kinser Road on Sunday afternoon, March 1.

Officer Kiashira Ruiz was dispatched to the facility at 2:15 p.m. and met with the victim who previously met a Louis Daniels in the area of Ninth Street in Modesto who was helping out with some work.

The victim said Daniels was left in the Kia Sedona minivan with the keys in the ignition while the owner went inside to speak about storage units. Daniels drove away in the vehicle without permission, a crime captured on video surveillance.

The next day, Officer Eric Gallegos was patrolling in the 1300 block of Herndon Road at 11:29 p.m., when he spotted the Kia at the 7-Eleven on Herndon Road. Ceres Police officers surrounded the lot and as the vehicle started to leave Officer Gallegos initiated a traffic stop.  Daniels immediately pulled over. Officer Gallegos saw a folding knife exposed from Daniels’ back pocket. A record check revealed Daniels was on probation.

Daniels told Officer Ruiz that he had permission to “borrow” the van but when confronted with the video proof, Daniels admitted to stealing it.

Daniels was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of felony auto theft, possession of stolen property, probation violation, and possession of a concealed dirk or dagger.