Man accused of stealing license plate stickers

A Cotati police officer randomly checking for valid vehicle registrations while on patrol Wednesday stumbled on an ex-convict with what appeared to be two stolen car registration stickers and suspected burglary tools in his car, police said.

Raymond Lee Patrick, 35, was in custody Thursday at the Sonoma County Jail on a no-bail hold, jail personnel said.

Police said that when Officer Chris Diaz checked the license plate on Patrick’s car at about 11:25 a.m. Wednesday, he found that state records showed the registration expired in 2006 even though the license plate sported a 2008 sticker.

Diaz also found out that the car’s registered owner was on probation for convictions for burglary and possession of stolen property conviction, police said.

Police said Patrick had a backpack in his car with two worn crow bars and a gouged screwdriver in addition to a stolen 2007 registration tab Diaz contacted him on East Cotati Avenue.

Patrick was arrested for suspected possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen property and violation of felony probation, police said.

Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call Diaz at 792-4611.