Roseville Police Hunt Suspected Car Thief

Roseville Police are asking for the public’s help finding a parolee-at-large who is suspected of stealing several cars from a Roseville rental car agency over the weekend, and who eluded police during an extensive search near Roseville’s Saugstad Park last night.   He has a history of drug use and violent behavior toward police officers, and may be armed with a handgun.

Gary Lee Fowler, 43, has been staying near Saugstad Park. He’s a white male, 5’9″ tall and 160 pounds, with blond hair (he currently has a shaved head) and green eyes. He has numerous tattoos on both legs.

At  8:06 p.m. January 27, a car rental customer went to drop off keys at a car rental agency on North Sunrise Ave., and found that the key drop box had been broken into.  He stood by to safeguard the remaining keys, and called police. Officers and rental agency employees responded.

The employees checked the lot and confirmed that six of their vehicles were missing.  Officers searched the area and found that a suspect had moved  five of the rental vehicles to other parking lots in the area.

They couldn’t locate one of the stolen vehicles. They contacted a 31-year-old Citrus Heights woman near one of the stolen cars, and arrested her on suspicion of vehicle theft, possession of methamphetamine and other related charges.  From video surveillance and other information gathered during the investigation, detectives identified Gary Lee Fowler as the other suspect.

They also located the empty holster to a handgun, which leads officers to believe Fowler has a handgun.  They began conducting surveillance and other activities in order to locate and arrest him.

At  7:45 p.m. last night (January 29), officers spotted the one remaining stolen vehicle being driven by a male in the area of Loretto Way and Quail Circle. 

They followed the vehicle, and the driver led them on a short pursuit, then dumped the vehicle on King Road, on the east side of Saugstad Park, and fled on foot.  Numerous police officers from Roseville, Rocklin, Citrus Heights, CHP and Placer County converged on the area and searched the park, creekbed corridor and surrounding neighborhoods, with support from CHP’s and Placer County Sheriff’s helicopters.   Despite a lengthy search, they were unable to locate the driver, whom officers believe was Gary Fowler.