Following the burglary of an El Dorado Hills home and the theft of bicycle on earlier this month, investigators from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department were able to track the suspect from surveillance footage and made an arrest and recovery Thursday.
The incident took place in the Serrano community of El Dorado Hills on Sept. 4. During the burglary, an electric mountain bike valued at $8,000 was stolen from inside the home. Upon review of surveillance of the area, detectives were able to determine the owner of a suspicious vehicle that was spotted in the area.
This week, detectives tracked the suspect vehicle to El Dorado County resident Joseph Gardemeyer, 40, who is currently on probation in El Dorado County. Tracking the vehicle, detectives were led to the parking lot of a hotel in Pleasant Hill.
After confirming Gardemeyer was housed at the hotel, deputies performed a probation search on his hotel room. During the search, deputies located the stolen mountain bike and a supply of controlled substances.
An electric mountain bike valued at $8,000 was stolen from an El Dorado Hills home Sept. 4; around that time, surveillance spotted a suspicious vehicle entering the Serrano neighborhood, according to an EDSO social media post. Detectives on the case were able to determine the owner of the vehicle was Joseph Gardemeyer, 40, who is on probation in El Dorado County.
Tracking the vehicle to a Pleasant Hill hotel, a probation search of Gardemeyer’s hotel room was conducted. During the search, EDSO deputies said they discovered the stolen bike as well as a controlled substance that appeared to be methamphetamine.
Gardemeyer was arrested on charges of grand theft, possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance and violation of probation. He is currently listed as being held without the option of bail.
Following the arrest, the El Dorado Hills resident was reunited with the stolen mountain bike, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department.
