Valley Springs, CA…On 2-9-18 Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to a commercial alarm at the Senders Ace Hardware store located at 129 Highway 12 in Valley Springs. Deputies arrived around 0315 hours and discovered the perimeter fence surrounding the business had been cut and there was a broken door leading inside the business. Through review of video surveillance, deputies found that two suspects wearing dark clothing, masks and gloves had forced entry into the business and stole a number of chainsaws, clothing and power tools.

While this investigation was underway, other deputies checking the area discovered a vehicle that appeared to have been crashed into a fence near a residence in the 300 block of Highway 12, Valley Springs. Deputies contacted subjects at the residence nearby and identified items at that location which were stolen during the Senders store burglary. Deputies also found tracks leading from this residence back to the Senders store. Joshua Hawkins (age 39 of Valley Springs) was found hiding in the attic of this residence. Hawkins was arrested for several outstanding warrants. Jamie Smith (age 34 of Valley Springs) was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance-11550(a)H&S and child endangerment-273a(b)PC. Child Protective Services assisted with assessing the living conditions in the home where a small child was present. A third subject Phillip Schmidt (age 48 of Waterford) was also arrested for possessing methamphetamine-11377(a)H&S and possession of stolen property-496(a)PC after items from the burglary were found in the crashed vehicle that Schmidt was associated with. Phillip Schmidt was booked into the Calaveras County Jail with $50,000 bail.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for this location to recover the identified stolen property which was initially estimated to be around $4,500 worth of chainsaws, clothing and power tools.
This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information regarding this burglary please call Sheriff Dispatch (209) 754-6500 or the anonymous tip line at (209) 754-6030.