Morro Bay police arrested a man on suspicion of vehicle theft on Sunday.
Police say Thomas Oliver Hight purchased a 2024 Ford F250 from Perry Ford in San Luis Obispo but payment for the truck came back with insufficient funds. The dealership reported it stolen after unsuccessfully trying to recover the vehicle.
Hight reportedly returned to Perry Ford and attempted to purchase another vehicle. Police say employees confronted him about the truck, and he fled, damaging the dealership's landscaping.
The City of Morro Bay's Automated License Plate Reader system detected the stolen vehicle when it entered city limits on Sunday morning. Officers located the truck in the 700 block of Harbor Street and took Hight into custody.
Police say there was also a 2025 Harley Davidson in the bed of the pickup, which is also under investigation.
As of Tuesday morning, Hight remained in custody at San Luis Obispo County Jail with bail set at $70,000.
