A 28-year-old man who police say was sleeping in a stolen van in the parking lot of a Chevron gasoline station in west Mesa was arrested on Monday.
Gary Allen Bahns was arrested on suspicion of auto theft about 7 a.m. at the Chevron station at 808 E. McKellips Road, where he had been panhandling and sleeping in the van which was stolen out of Apache Junction on Tuesday, according to police.
Bahns told police he received the van from a friend who steals cars and gave it to him. Bahns said he hoped to trade it for methamphetamine after he cleaned it out. Police discovered items in the van that belonged to its registered owner.
The victim said he did not know Bahns or his accomplice. The identity of Bahns’ accomplice is not known at this time.
Banhs was booked into a Maricopa County jail.
