Hot cement mixer leads to the arrest of 2 men

A quick response by police has helped a cement mixer find its way home.

At 2:52 a.m. Mon., Nov. 20, Keith Bass reported someone in a small truck had just stolen a cement mixer from his front yard in the 100 block of Heavenly Valley Road in Newbury Park.

At 2:58 a.m., a deputy observed and began following a white truck with a cement mixer. It entered the 23 Freeway at Avenida de Los Arboles. Two other squad cars also responded and the truck was pulled over at the first exit, Janss Road.

Bass arrived and identified the cement mixer as his.

According to a department report, the occupants of the truck were Claudio Armando Cardenas,

25, and Jose Mendez, 26, both of Pacoima. They were arrested for felony grand theft. Cardenas also had a warrant for his arrest in Los Angeles.

-Nancy Needham