Two people were arrested after Visalia police officers located a stolen vehicle Thursday morning, authorities said.

At about 6:56 a.m., Visalia Police Department officers received information about a stolen vehicle traveling near Akers Street and Goshen Avenue. Patrol officers and detectives with the Tulare Regional Auto Theft Task Force responded and began searching for the vehicle.

Officers located the stolen Chevrolet at about 7:45 a.m. as it exited the Lowe’s parking lot in the 3000 block of North Demaree Street, police said. The driver entered a nearby neighborhood northeast of the store in what appeared to be an attempt to avoid officers.

A short time later, officers found the Chevrolet parked in the driveway of an unrelated residence in the 2000 block of West Newton Avenue. The driver, Gary Stephens, 45, and passenger, Rubien Magana, 52, were taken into custody without incident.

Stephens was booked into the Tulare County Adult Pre-Trial Detention Facility on suspicion of unlawful taking or driving of a vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, attempted crime, possession of burglary tools, and warrants from Tulare and Kings counties, according to police.

Magana was booked on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to unlawfully use or store controlled substances, police said.

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