Wanted Suspect investigation reveals two vehicle “Chop Shops”
Photo: stolen Porsche
Originally published as a Petaluma Police Department Nixle post –
“On the above date and time, the Petaluma Police Department received information that a suspect with an outstanding warrant from 2019 was coming into San Francisco on a cruise ship. Suspect Wayne Krieger was wanted for a Petaluma PD investigation regarding grand theft charges of three classic Porsche sedans. Suspect Krieger was unable to be located up to this point.
Petaluma PD Motor Officer Sholin, the original investigating officer, responded to San Francisco and with the help of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, located and arrested Suspect Krieger. A subsequent interview of Suspect Krieger led Motor Officer Sholin to seek search warrants for locations in Santa Rosa and Novato. Petaluma PD also contacted the Sonoma County Auto Theft Task Force (SONCATT) to assist with the service of the search warrants.
Search warrants were served on November 27th and 30th. One of the stolen Porsche was discovered at a location in Santa Rosa and one in Novato. In both locations, there was evidence of other possible stolen vehicles, vehicle parts, fraudulent registration paperwork, and materials to counterfeit vehicle identification numbers.
Both locations appeared to be operating as “Chop Shops”, where suspects engage in disassembling motor vehicles and alter identification numbers to possibly sell the vehicles as part of interstate or foreign commerce.
Further information was obtained that the third stolen Porsche was at a shop in San Francisco. On December 2nd, Petaluma PD officers with the assistance of San Francisco PD and SONCATT responded to San Francisco. The third missing Porsche was located and identified.
Officers obtained another search warrant to search the entire shop. Other possible stolen vehicles and vehicle parts were found in the shop. All three of the stolen Porsche’s were recovered from the original Petaluma PD investigation from the 2019. A total of 8 classic Porsches, some engines and other evidence were recovered.
The investigation is ongoing and will be followed up by SONCATT. If anyone has any information regarding this investigation, they are encouraged to contact SONCATT at 707-565-1371 or Petaluma PD at 707-778-4372.”
