Chantha Koug, 24, of Oakland and an accomplice allegedly used the Island City as a springboard to commit a burglary in Koug’s hometown.

Alameda Police Department (APD) officers were investigating the report of a stolen car on Fernside Boulevard on Tuesday, Jan. 28; at about the same time members of the Oakland Police Department (OPD) were alerted to a burglary in progress on the 2400 block of 12th Avenue in their city.

OPD Capt. Richard Orozco and Officer Dana Ly arrived at the 12th Avenue address and arrested Koug before he was able to steal anything. They said that Koug’s partner in the alleged burglary was able to flee the scene even though OPD’s K-9 unit did an extensive search.

Police connected the auto theft and burglary and learned that Koug had stolen the 1998 Toyota Avalon from an 86-year-old Alameda woman. According to police, she had just gotten out of her car to move garbage and recycling bins out of her way and had left the key in the ignition. Police said that Koug spotted an opportunity, allegedly jumped into the victim’s car and sped off into Oakland.

The Alameda victim’s daughter said that when police recovered her mother’s car they found items that belonged to Koug or his alleged accomplice.

Koug faces felony charges that include burglary, vehicle theft and receiving stolen property. He is being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin in lieu of $130,000 bail. His pretrial hearing was set for this morning, Feb. 6, at 9:05 a.m.