Police Collaboration Leads To Arrest In Car Theft

Sunday September 6th just before midnight Lincoln City Police Officers responded to the area of SE Drift Creek Road and SE Hemlock Drive to assist the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation of a stolen vehicle. 

Officers learned a male suspect, later identified as 37-year old Joseph Mealler, of Marion County Oregon, had stolen a vehicle from a nearby quarry, then fled the area on foot when Lincoln County Sheriff''s Deputies attempted to contact him.

Lincoln City Police deployed officers to the area to assist in maintaining a perimeter and deployed an unmanned aerial system (UAS).  They also worked with Lincoln County Sheriff's deputies and the Yamhill County Sheriff’s K9 Unit to conduct a foot search of the area.  Officers and Deputies were unable to locate Mealler in the area that night.

On Tuesday September 8th at approximately 12:00pm Lincoln City Police Officers located Mealler in the area near Safeway on NW Logan Road.  He was detained and held until Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputies arrived and took custody of him.

Deputies arrested Mealler and lodged him at the Lincoln County Jail for charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Criminal Mischief in the 1^st Degree, Failure to Perform Duties of a Driver when Property is Damaged, Theft in the 1^st Degree, and two counts of Burglary in the 2^nd Degree.  Mealler was also arrested for a Marion County Warrant charging Criminal Mischief in the 2^nd Degree.