By Christijan Draper
christijan@newsroom.byu.edu
After investigating a recent theft of an automobile boot, Provo police found the suspect already in the Utah County Jail, according to a report released Tuesday from the Provo Police Department.
Park Towing employee Ed Ercanbrack notified police about the missing boot and the white Nissan truck it was attached to on Sunday.
According to the report, police traced the truck to its owner in Murray, but the owner said that his son, John J. Gardner, 23, used the truck.
He added that his son was in jail.
Police located Gardner in the Utah County Jail and questioned him about the stolen boot.
According to the report, Gardner said he found his truck booted in the Old Mill parking lot, 722 W. 1720 North, around 10 a.m. Friday.
He removed the boot and put it in the back of his truck, the report said.
Gardner said that he later hid the boot in some bushes in north Orem.
Sometime after ditching the boot, Gardner was pulled over by police, who confirmed three previous warrants for his arrest.
Police booked him on the warrants into Utah County Jail.
The report did not specify what crimes the warrants were issued for.
Park Towing employee Gerard Power booted the truck late Thursday night for not having an Old Mill parking sticker, according to the report.