Ephrata police find and return stolen car

EPHRATA - An Ephrata man was sentenced to about a year and a half in prison for allegedly stealing a car, painting it, taking off the brand emblem and removing the rear license plate to conceal it from the owners and police.

In May, Esiquio Deleon Jr., 38, was arrested in an Ephrata business parking lot after parking a stolen and obviously freshly painted car in the employee's area, according to the police report. Store personnel called the police because the car, which was painted with white house paint, and Deleon, looked suspicious.

When officers arrived, Deleon admitted to driving the car to the store and agreed to let officers look inside of it, according to the police report. They found the car's missing rear license plate, white house paint and a brush, and keys that had been filed down in a manner that led officers to believe they could be used to steal cars.

When police frisked Deleon, they found a small amount of methamphetamine in his front pocket and the car's missing Toyota emblem in his back pocket. They reported Deleon's pants had white paint splatter on them.

Police called the registered owner of the vehicle and turned it over to that owner's family member, according to the police report.

Deleon was previously convicted of possession of cocaine and meth, burglary, attempting to elude and possession of stolen property.