Ceres Police Officer Salin Chrim-Marquez was patrolling through the parking lot of Punjab Plaza at 3505 Central Avenue Thursday afternoon at 5:14 p.m. when she located a Toyota 4Runner SUV parked in a stall. She watched Timothey Lakey, 35, of Modesto exit the vehicle and walk around in the shopping center. When additional officers arrived, Lakey was taken into custody.

A routine records check revealed Lakey had a misdemeanor warrant for narcotics. He was arrested for the warrant and auto theft and was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center.