LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department said its officers took a couple into custody on Tuesday on numerous charges after finding them siphoning gas at a shopping center.

Jason Lee Hunter, 44, of Kelseyville and Alyce Kathryn Schmadeke, 40, of Lakeport were arrested early Tuesday morning, according to a report from Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.

At approximately 4:40 a.m. Tuesday, Lakeport Police officers, assisted by Lake County Sheriff’s deputies, responded to a citizen report of a suspicious subject in the Shoreline Shopping Center near Allen’s Furniture, Rasmussen said.

Upon arrival, officers determined that Hunter and Schmadeke were in the process of siphoning gasoline from a nearby vehicle owned by Allen’s Furniture, according to Rasmussen.

Rasmussen said both Hunter and Schmadeke were detained and a complete investigation, including a search of the vehicle, was conducted. 

He said officers located a large number of various tools commonly used to commit burglaries including shaved keys, numerous keys/key fobs for other vehicles, hacksaws, screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, siphon hoses, punches, files and bolt cutters. 

Both subjects had prior criminal charges for theft and burglary and Schmadeke was on felony probation for burglary, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said Schmadeke and Hunter were arrested for misdemeanor charges of possession of burglary tools, tampering with a vehicle and theft, and then transported to the Lake County Correctional Facility for booking. 

Prior to being taken into the jail facility, officers asked both Schmadeke and Hunter if they had any weapons or drugs concealed on their persons that had not been located, as if they did they would be charged with an additional crime of bringing prohibited contraband into a jail facility, Rasmussen said.

He said neither of them disclosed any contraband and none was found by officers during a search, however, during the booking process, correctional officers located suspected methamphetamine in the property of both Schmadeke and Hunter.

Rasmussen said additional charges – including misdemeanor possession of methamphetamine and felony possession of drugs in a correctional facility – were added. Schmadeke also was charged with being in violation of the terms of her felony probation. 

Prior to California’s Proposition 47, enacted by voters in November of 2014, Schmadeke and Hunter could have been charged with felony theft due to their prior criminal histories, and the possession of methamphetamine charge would have been a felony, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said this case is a good example of the community working together with law enforcement.

He said a citizen immediately reported suspicious persons and behavior and that, combined with a quick response by law enforcement, stopped the two suspects and allowed officers to seize their contraband before additional crimes were committed.  

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