Parolee busted for multiple thefts

Zach Friedland was found hiding in the attic

Humboldt Sentinel staff
8/19/09

Fairhaven

A local man on parole is back in jail after a search by Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered numerous stolen items in his Huntoon Street residence.

The suspect was allegedly spotted running from a parked vehicle aside Highway 255 on Monday evening by a witness who noted the license plate number of the vehicle he left in. The burglarized vehicle had a broken window, and a responding deputy arrived at the location of the Fairhaven burglary to confirm with the owner, who returned from the beach, that several items had been stolen from the vehicle.

Deputies ran the plate and discovered it belonged to Zachariah Friedland, 30 of Eureka. Deputies responded to his residence on the 200 block of Huntoon Street and attempted to contact him. As Friedland was on parole and was thus subject to warrantless searches, deputies intended to conduct a search of the home, despite claims by a woman at the house that Friedland had left.

In the course of their search deputies found Friedland in the attic, along with a set of keys on his person which opened the residence’s garage. Inside, deputies found numerous items reported stolen from other local burglary cases, according to HCSO public information officer Brenda Godsey. These include digital cameras, DVD players and other small electronic devices, only some of which can be traced to an original owner.

Friedland was arrested and transported taken to county jail where he was booked for burglary, possession of stolen property and a parole violation -- which makes him ineligible to post bail. He is expected to be arraigned on Thursday, but meanwhile, the case is still under investigation and additional arrests are expected.

Victims of car burglaries, particularly in the Samoa area, are encouraged to contact the HCSO in an effort to return their property to them.