The Manteca and Tracy police SWAT teams joined forces Tuesday in surrounding two Manteca homes – one in the city and the other in rural Manteca – arresting two men with a long list of separate charges that included stolen cars and motorcycles along with an arsenal of weapons and 30 pot plants.

The SWAT actions began in the south central residential area of Manteca on Mammoth Drive at 7 a.m. where members of the SWAT teams and the Manteca Street Crimes Unit (SCU) officers surrounded a home to serve a felony search warrant.

SCU Sgt. Chris Mraz said the first suspect fled the residence with officers having to chase him down to make their arrest.  The second action shortly after noon took place on the western end of Yosemite Avenue halfway between McKinley Avenue and the roadway’s connection with the Highway 120 Bypass.

The uniformed SWAT officers had to approach a small frame house down a long dirt driveway to serve the warrant. They found the stolen vehicles and guns at that location.  Again the suspect ran from the house out into a field where he attempted to hide in tall weeds, but when officers shouted they had him surrounded, he reportedly gave up without further incident, police said.

Arrested on felony charges, including being felons in possession of firearms, were Nobel Carpenter and Evilio David Vera, 50, Mraz said.  Both men were booked into San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp, however it was unknown if either one was free on bail as of press time.

Officers said they located numerous rifles and shotguns at the Yosemite Avenue address, three stolen motorcycles and three cars that were suspected to have been stolen.  One motorcycle was a 2009 Harley Davidson valued at $25,000 that was found just beyond a fence on the rear of the property.  Also discovered were a 50 cc sports bike and a Honda CVR 929 that was recovered at the scene by the owner.

Officers from the DELTARAT Auto Theft Task Force out of Stockton were also at the location for several hours checking the vehicle ID numbers on the various motor vehicles parked on the property.

The fallow open land to the rear of the property had been apparently set up as a practice shooting range with a large target mounted at the base of a lone tree in the sandy soil.  In the line of sight, above and behind that target, were the lanes of the Highway 120 Bypass.

A small plaque next to the front door of the suspect’s house on Yosemite Avenue read ironically, “Check your guns at the door.”

There were also some 30 growing marijuana plants in and around the rear of the house, police said.