Accused car thief arrested in stolen Honda

An Orland man was out of jail just a few days when he was arrested again on suspicion of stealing a car.

Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones said Emanuel Montalvo Mercado, 20, of Orland, was arrested at 3:48 a.m. today in a stolen Honda.

Mercado was arrested by Major Crimes detectives Kelly Knight and Greg Felton, who happened to be north of Orland investigating another crime.

Jones said the detectives spotted the parked Honda sedan on County Road 99 with its parking lamps on.

“The detectives were aware of the rash of auto thefts, targeting Hondas and Honda products, occurring within Glenn County in the past two weeks,” Jones said in a statement. “They approached the vehicle and recognized the occupant as Emanuel Montalvo Mercado, also known by his gang moniker of ‘Shrek.’”

Jones said Mercado was ordered to turn the car’s motor off, fumbled with the ignition, but was not able to shut it off.

Detectives removed Mercado from the car and searched the vehicle, Jones said. Nothing illegal was found.

After running the vehicle’s license plate number, detectives leaned the car had been reported to the Orland Police Department as stolen.

Mercado was arrested, and an Orland police officer recovered the stolen Honda.

Jones said Mercado admitted that he took the Honda from the area of the Shasta Garden apartments in Orland.

He was booked into the Glenn County Jail on suspicion of felony auto theft and committing a felony while being released from custody on bail.

Mercado posted a new bond on $20,000 bail and is set to appear in Glenn County Superior Court on March 14.

About a dozen vehicles, mostly Hondas, have been stolen in Willows and Orland in the past two weeks, authorities said.

It was the second recovered by Felton within a week.