The Kings County Rural Crimes Task Force began investigating the theft of chain-link fence panels from the rear of Valley Oxygen located on East Lacey Boulevard on Jan. 11, according to officials.
The suspect was identified as 39 year-old Gerald Hudson, a Hanford resident.
Surveillance footage from the day before showed the suspect looking at the area, but leaving without taking anything. He was later filmed returning to the area on a motorized mini-bike where he proceeded to cut the metal wiring holding the fence together. He left second time without taking anything from the scene.
Once darkness arrived Hudson returned a third time, this time he took fence panels down and placed them into a pile. Moments later, a pickup truck was seen arriving and parked alongside the panels, where Hudson and two other men loaded the panels into the truck and left, according to the sheriff’s office.
As the investigation unfolded, the stolen fence panels were located at the homeless encampment near Third Street and 10th Avenue. Deputies stated that the fence panels were being used to surround a tent where they had tarps connected to them.
Hudson was found inside the tent, identified as the man seen in the surveillance video, and was immediately arrested.
During a subsequent interview, Hudson reportedly confessed to taking the panels and hiring two other unidentified men to transport the panels to his tent.
Hudson was booked into the Kings County Jail on charges of grand theft and possession of stolen property. His bail was set at $10,000, however due to additional cases his bail was increased to $100,000.
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