Sonora, CA… On Monday, deputies responded to an alarm call at Sears Hometown Store in East Sonora. On arrival, they saw the front glass doors of the business were broken. Sears employees arrived and video surveillance was reviewed. The video showed a white utility van ram through the front door windows. The driver and burglar was identified as 32-year-old Matthew Williams of Sonora. Williams stole numerous tool items from the store totaling over $1000.

Later in the day, deputies took another report but this time it was an attempted burglary in the Junction Shopping Center. Deputies determined Williams rammed his van into a shed located behind the shopping center in attempt to burglarize it. Williams caused thousands of dollars of damage to the shed.

Around 5pm, an off-duty Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted the van in the Walmart parking lot. Deputies arrived at the van and could see tools related to the Sears burglary inside. Within minutes, deputies located Williams near Staples and he was taken into custody. Williams was booked for burglary, attempted burglary, an out of county felony warrant for failing to appear in court for a burglary charge, and a misdemeanor vandalism warrant.