San Joaquin County, California, Sheriff Patrick Withrow has a harsh message for owners of approximately 88 vehicles confiscated at a Stockton sideshow over the weekend. They may not be getting them back, at least not any time soon.
California Sheriff Holding 88 Cars Confiscated at Weekend Sideshow
"They can stop calling. Those vehicles will be held by us until those court cases have been settled," Sheriff Patrick Withrow said in a video on Facebook.
by Staff
February 7, 2024
Muscle car being towed away from weekend street racing event. The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office is holding 88 vehicles confiscated at a Stockton sideshow on Feb. 3.
Credit:
San Joaquin County SO/Facebook
2 min to read
"They can stop calling. Those vehicles will be held by us until those court cases have been settled," Withrow said in a video on Facebook.
He added that he plans to destroy those that have been modified specifically for street racing and sideshows, if they are determined to be a “public nuisance.”
Deputies detained 150 people and arrested others, booking them into jail. Several loaded firearms and quantities of illegal drugs were found inside some of the cars.
The Feb. 3 operation that resulted in the confiscation of the vehicles and the arrests of some participants was conducted by the San Joaquin County Sideshow Taskforce.
They had advance intelligence about the event and were able to infiltrate the group and learn the location and time, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
After setting up at the site, “The task force observed several hundred people and vehicles block the roadway, and a red truck begin driving recklessly in the intersection. The task force rapidly contained the intersection and stabilized the scene,” the statement said.
In addition to deputies from the San Joaquin County SO, the operation involved personnel from the Stockton, Lodi, Sacramento, and Manteca Police Departments, Delta College Police, Delta RATT, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, District Attorney’s Investigators, the CHP, AMR and all of the tow companies that responded to assist in this effort.
The statement concluded with: “The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office continues to take a zero tolerance policy on sideshow activity. Our office has remained vigilant and proactive to prevent and stop sideshow activity, and in cases like this, immediately responded. We want to make it clear that all persons participating, spectating or involved, will be held to the full extent of the law.”
More Patrol
Brinc Unveils Guardian, Launching the Next Era of Drone as First Responder
Brinc’s new Guardian delivers 24/7 operations, Starlink connectivity, and a robotic charging nest that can swap batteries and change payload configurations without human intervention.
Read More →
Colorado State Patrol Releases 2025 Struck-By Analysis
The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.
Read More →
Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →
The Mission After the Moment
The mission of the Jorge Pastore Foundation is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.
Read More →
Sponsored•March 17, 2026
Built for Patrol: How One Police Chief Fixed Communication, Boosted Visibility, and Changed the Culture
Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.
Read More →
Sponsored•March 2, 2026
Safariland Solis Rethinks Concealable Duty
What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.
Read More →
K-9s Play a Critical Role in Finding Missing Persons
Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.
Read More →
Garmont Tactical’s LE Boot Lineup
In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.
Read More →
Avon Protection Launches EXOSKIN-S2 High-Performance CBRN Protective Suit
With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.
Read More →