On April 27, patrol deputies from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search on the 1400 block of Anderson Avenue in McKinleyville. They were looking to perform a parole search at the residence of 43-year-old Nathan Ruptak of McKinleyville. The search was linked to an investigation into a vehicle burglary that had taken place between the night of April 26 and early April 27. The burglary involved the theft of two firearms—a rifle and a loaded handgun—as well as a wallet and other personal property from the victim.
Security footage obtained during the investigation showed the suspect using the victim’s bank card at several locations, identifying Ruptak as the person using the card. Upon reaching the residence, deputies found Ruptak in a detached garage on the property. He was detained, and a search was carried out in line with his parole conditions. Deputies found the stolen rifle in a vehicle parked nearby. Due to the vast search area, K9 Hank, a canine trained to detect firearms, was brought in to assist. Thanks to K9 Hank, the loaded handgun was found concealed under the driver’s side seat in a leather binder.
Ruptak was arrested and taken to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility. He was booked on the following charges: felon in possession of a firearm, prohibited person in possession of ammunition, possession of stolen property, theft by use of a card, parole violation, and probation violation. The case has been submitted to the Humboldt District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information relating to the case or similar criminal activity to reach out to them at (707) 445-7251 or via their Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.
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