A Novato man who was already on probation for his role in previous burglaries is now facing additional legal woes connected to his alleged theft of metal from local railroad tracks over the weekend. This past Saturday, September 7, a bystander called the Novato Police Department to report witnessing a “suspicious person” near the part of Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit tracks that is located in Novato, according to a NPD press release. When officers arrived on the scene, they found Eli Blackeagle, who matched the description they had been given by the witness.
SMART railroad is a route under construction from Cloverdale in Sonoma County to Larkspur Ferry in Marin County and the San Francisco Bay.
The officers discovered that Blackeagle, a 62-year-old Novato resident, had on his person metal that had been taken from the nearby SMART tracks. When officers pursued the matter they found among Blackeagle’s belongings the tools that they believe aided him in burglarizing the tracks. The press release does not describe the tools in his possession, but specifies that they are of the type typically used in thefts of this kind.
Officers took Blackeagle into custody on charges of possession of stolen property and sent him to Marin County Jail.
SMART Community Education & Outreach Manager Carolyn Glendening provided a statement about the incident via email, saying, “From time to time, there are instances of vandalism on the tracks. As do all railroads, we work to minimize the opportunity for theft and vandalism, and encourage anyone witnessing trespass on the right of way and tampering with any railroad equipment to report the matter to local law enforcement, or to call the Emergency Notification number displayed at each crossing, which goes directly to our Dispatch center.”
Construction is ongoing for the SMART route.
Blackeagle was party to a suspected July 2011 burglary at the Niven Nursery in Larkspur, according to the Twin Cities Times. In this incident, Blackeagle’s partner Nathan Randolph, of Richmond, told police that Blackeagle had driven him to the scene in a stolen white Subaru station wagon. Both men were found near the nursery and charged with suspicion of burglary, possession of burglary tools, possession of a stolen car and providing false identification to police. Arrest records show that Blackeagle has been arrested in Marin County numerous times in the past several years for theft.
Read More:
Novato Patch: Novato Man, 62, Arrested on Suspicion of Possessing Stolen Property
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