Morro Bay police are shown during the arrest of a SLO County man on Jan. 19 for suspicion of stealing a used Ford truck from a car dealership in San Luis Obispo, as well as a Harley from a dealer in Fresno. Photo courtesy MBPD
Morro Bay police ended one suspected thief’s spree after a license plate reader alerted them that the vehicle was in town.
According to a news release, on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 10:45 a.m. police received a stolen vehicle alert from the City’s “Automated License Plate Reader” (ALPR) system.
“The alert,” reads the news release, “notified officers of a reported stolen vehicle that had entered the City Limits. Officers responded to the area and began a search for the vehicle.”
The vehicle was a 2024 Ford F-250 truck, and it was reported stolen by Perry Ford in San Luis Obispo. MBPD officers soon caught up to the truck at City Park in the 700 block of Harbor. That’s when they got a surprise.
“In the bed of the truck,” the release said, “was a 2025 Harley Davidson motorcycle.”
Officers detained the driver, who was identified as Thomas Oliver Hight, 65 of SLO County. “During the investigation it was discovered that Hight had purchased the vehicle from a Perry Ford in San Luis Obispo.”
Hight allegedly scammed the dealership out of the truck on Jan. 9. “The dealership reported the F-250 truck stolen,” MBPD said, “after payment for the truck came back with insufficient funds and after the dealership attempted to recover the vehicle from Hight.”
Hight reportedly returned to the dealership Jan. 15, “to purchase another vehicle.”
Apparently, they were waiting for him, as the dealership staff told him, “to pay for the truck or relinquish the vehicle.” He reportedly hit the gas instead and someone almost got hurt.
“Hight refused and later fled with the truck damaging the landscaping as an employee attempted to block Hight from leaving the dealership.”
Morro Bay officers arrested Hight and charged him with vehicle theft. They also confirmed from the Harley-Davidson dealer in Fresno that the bike in the bed of the stolen truck was also stolen.
MBPD Chief Amy Watkins said Hight allegedly took the F-250 on Jan. 9 and returned to Perry Ford on Jan. 15 when the dealership reported the truck as stolen to San Luis Obispo Police.
She added that the Fresno PD would determine if charges should be filed in the motorcycle case, but MBPD had not filed charges on that matter. The Harley was taken after the truck.
She added that they didn’t yet know why Hight was in Morro Bay when arrested.
Hight was arrested and booked into County Jail for suspicion of vehicle theft, but more could await him.
“The San Luis Obispo and Fresno Police Departments,” reads the release, “were contacted and advised of the arrest and pending additional cases from the Ford and Harley dealerships.”
Police are asking any potential witnesses to these events to contact MBPD Sgt. Nicole Taylor at (805) 772-6233 or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP.