An advertisement on the craigslist website led to the recovery of a $100,000 truck belonging to former Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher Troy Percival, and the arrest of an alleged chop shop owner, authorities said Wednesday.
The 1956 Ford F100 was stolen from Percival's Mead Valley home in February, along with three large-screen televisions and a computer, according to sheriff's Detective Guy Gilbert.
On Sunday, a person scanning the craigslist website saw an ad for one of the truck's fenders.
"The citizen contacted the seller, made an agreement for purchase and obtained an address to inspect the part," Gilbert said.
Sheriff's deputies contacted the seller, who said he did not know the part had been stolen, Gilbert said.
He said the seller led deputies to Michael Anthony Gonzalez, 30, and the cannibalized truck was found at his home in the 100 block of Bowen in Perris.
Detectives located truck parts in two locations in Mead Valley, including an $18,000 engine, but the bed, the bench seat and the driver's-side door were still missing, Gilbert said.
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Gonzales was arrested on suspicion of grand theft, auto theft, owning a chop shop and receiving stolen goods. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday. He remains jailed in lieu of $25,000 bail, according to court records.
Percival is now with the Tampa Bay Rays.
