Reedley police say the crime spree lasted several months. The suspect, they say, hit three local car wash facilities, all owned by the same family.
Investigators arrested 61-year-old /*Arutyan Davoyan*/ at his home in Clovis Thursday. Reedley police say he stole several thousand dollars in quarters from car wash change machines.
"He then, in effect, would take those quarters and never give any money," said Sgt. Sean Provost. "So he was stealing as many quarters as he could out of the machine."
Police say this happened at all three Kimo Tropical Car Wash locations in Reedley. The owner tells Action News he noticed money counts were off when he checked his change machines.
Security cameras showed some suspicious activity, but the older cameras weren't clear enough. It wasn't until high definition cameras were put in, facing the change machines, that police got their break in the case.
"Surveillance was key in this aspect, that most if not all of his crimes were caught on surveillance and used to identify him," Provost said.
Sgt. Sean Provost says a lot of the crimes happened while other people were around.
Customers are blown away that police say Davoyan took nearly $4,000 from the machines. "It's strange how people could just go over there and think of crazy ideas and get money like nothing," said Adrianne Martinez of Reedley.
If the suspect's name sounds familiar it's because Action News has learned he's the father of /*Aharon Davoyan*/ one of the men involved in a violent confrontation outside /*Fresno's Elbow Room*/ late last year.
As for the elder Davoyan he's facing nearly two dozen felony counts because of prior convictions.
