Arrest sought for man suspected of stealing from property in fire evacuation area

Illegal marijuana grow also found on parcel, deputies say

OROVILLE » The Butte County Sheriff’s Office has obtained an arrest warrant for a man suspected of stealing from a property in the North Complex West Zone fire evacuation area, which later led lawenforcement to a parcel containing illegal marijuana grows.

Deputies and detectives say they identified Robert Strawn, 36, of Oroville, through surveillance photos as a suspect for stealing items from a residence in the Cherokee area, which was under an evacuation order at the time of the theft.

The resident told deputies on Sept. 18 two items had been stolen from his property upon his return. The resident also had photographs of a man on his game camera, a BCSO press release said.

BCSO then served a search warrant on Tuesday, Sept. 22 to a property on Crystal Pines Road in Oroville and recovered stolen property in the driveway belonging to the Cherokee resident.

During the search, detectives also located evidence indicating Strawn was associated with four additional parcels on Crystal Pines Road. Another search warrant was served on the following day, Wednesday, Sept. 23.

In a search by BCSO detectives and detectives from the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force, additional stolen property and a stolen vehicle were found, as well as three illegal marijuana grows containing 242 plants.

The well and utilities supporting the marijuana grows were powered by a series of homemade electrical lines run across the properties, which posed a fire hazard, BCSO said. The Sheriff’s Office contacted PG& E, which determined the lines were, in fact, hazardous, and immediately disconnected them.

The arrest warrant for Strawn includes suspected possession of stolen property and a stolen vehicle, in addition to petty theft, suspected illegal marijuana cultivation and possession of marijuana for sale.

BCSO is asking anyone with additional information on the investigation to contact Detective Vaj Thao at 538-7671.