63‑year-old steals military truck, ends in beach standoff
San Luis Obispo is a beach city located on the central coast of California. It recently gained attention due to the actions of a particular 63-year-old who decided to steal a military transporter. However, he didn't get very far.
A few days ago, the sheriff's office in San Luis Obispo received an unusual report about a military truck parked in a lot in nearby Los Osos.
It quickly became apparent that this was no ordinary truck but an Oshkosh M1070, adapted for transporting heavy artillery, including armoured vehicles and M1 Abrams tanks.
The machine definitely drew attention. Why had it appeared in the area, though? Officers quickly connected the dots and determined that the vehicle had been stolen from a transport heading to Southern California.
However, when they arrived at the scene, neither the driver nor the vehicle was there. The suspect had headed toward Montaña de Oro State Park and got stuck on a nearby beach. He did not intend to give up, though.
He only got out when the police surrounded him and used tear gas. The perpetrator of the whole commotion was 63-year-old Kevin Van Ess from Los Angeles. He was charged with vehicle theft, evasion, and destruction of public property. It is not yet known how he will be punished.
