In Carson: Men arrested in series of Honda thefts

Two California men visiting Carson City for Christmas have been jailed in the thefts of at least three Hondas, all of which were stolen from the high school parking lot on Wednesday.

"These guys just decided they would come up to visit and steal people blind," said Carson City Sheriff's Lt. Bob White.

Luis Paniagua-Ponce, 20, a construction worker from Richmond, Calif., and Hector Eduardo Charon, 27, a landscaper from San Pablo, Calif., were arrested at 6:43 p.m. Wednesday in the 2500 block of Blue Haven Lane.

Charon is being held on suspicion of three counts of felony principal to grand larceny and three counts of felony principal to burglary. Paniagua-Ponce is being held on suspicion of three counts of felony burglary, three counts of felony grand larceny and one count of felony possession of stolen property.

According to the arrest report, at about 2:30 p.m. on Goldfield Avenue, a deputy located a Honda Accord stolen earlier in the day from the parking lot of Carson High School. The owner reported he'd parked his car in the lot that morning, and when he went to leave, the car was gone.

When the stolen car was found, a Yankees jacket, iPod Nano and the car's stereo were missing. After taking a report on that stolen vehicle, officers got a call that another Honda was reported missing from the school lot. It was eventually found nearby on Appaloosa Court.

From surveillance footage of the school parking lot, officers were able to get a description of the "suspect vehicle," which matched a description of a "suspicious vehicle" reported earlier at Opportunity High School.

In that report, a man wearing a Yankees jacket and driving a green car with California plates had arrived at the school to pick up a student. Police ran the plate of the vehicle from the earlier incident and ended up with an address on Bluehaven Court.

According to the report, when officers went to Bluehaven, they located the green vehicle from the video.

Pangiagua-Ponce and Charon were found inside the home, along with a juvenile cousin. Officers also located several items reported missing from the stolen cars, including the Yankees jacket, according to the report. Officers also allegedly recovered a Honda key modified to work on any Honda.

While at the Bluehaven address, police received a third report of a Honda stolen from the school parking lot. The third vehicle remains missing. It is a 1999 black Honda Civic hatchback, with Nevada Library specialty plate 0365. The car has several stickers on the hatchback, one of which reads, "Keep Tahoe Blue."

About 11 p.m. Wednesday night, a Honda Accord stolen from Palo Verde on Wednesday morning was found on Randall Drive off Little Lane with its stereo missing.

A Honda stolen from Tanglewood Village off Little Lane sometime after 11:08 a.m. Wednesday remains missing. That vehicle is a 1990 gold Honda Accord with personalized license plate WKNDCAR.

It's not known if a Chevy stolen from Adaline Street sometime before 7:27 a.m. Wednesday is part of the same ring. That vehicle is a gold 2004 Chevy Impala with a spoiler and Nevada license plate 031RUY. There is a window sticker that says "Goon Squad."

Anyone with information on these car thefts is asked to call 887-2020, ext. 41401. If a stolen vehicle is spotted, please call nonemergency dispatch at 887-2007.

"If you own a Honda, you should take extra precaution to secure it because they are very easy to steal," said White. "There are a number of products on the market that are designed to protect your property."

Paniagua-Ponce is being held on $25,000 bail. Charon's bail is set at $15,000. Charges against the juvenile were not released.