Santa Maria man caught stealing from Paso Robles Lowes — for the second time, police say

A Santa Maria man was arrested after he was caught stealing from a Paso Robles Lowes store for the second time, according to the Paso Robles Police Department.

Kody Samuels, 36, stole a log splitter from Lowes on June 30 after cutting the cable that secured it to the home improvement store, police said in the release.

On July 17, Samuels returned to Lowes, located at 2445 Golden Hill Road in Paso Robles, around 9 a.m., police said.

That’s when Paso Robles police were called.

Samuels had “attempted to cut a cable which held several generators together, presumably to steal the generators as well,” police said in the release.

Police said Samuels concealed “numerous pieces of store merchandise in his clothing” before fleeing the store on foot.

Patrol officers located Samuels nearby and arrested him without incident, the release said.

Samuels was arrested on suspicion of grand theft, burglary, possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen or fictitious checks and possession of a stun gun by a prohibited person, the release said.

In California, stealing $950 or more worth of personal property, real property, money, or labor is considered grand theft.

Samuels was taken to San Luis Obispo County Jail at the time of his arrest. He was not listed in custody as of Tuesday, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office’s online inmate database.

The Paso Robles Police Department asks anyone with more information to call 805-237-6464 or persons wishing to remain anonymous are encouraged to call Crime Stopper’s 24-hour hotline at 805-549-STOP (7867) or by texting “SLOTIPS” plus your message to CRIMES (274637).