EAST COUNTY : Ferrari Found Among Stolen Cars

Tulare County sheriff’s authorities investigating a statewide auto theft ring found nine stolen vehicles in the San Diego area valued at $870,000, authorities said.

Acting on a tip about the hideout of a suspected member of the ring, detectives went to addresses in Santee and Spring Valley searching for Rickey Dixon, 31, who has residences in both Tulare and San Diego counties.

Dixon was not found, but the vehicles, including a 1973 Ferrari Daytona valued at $700,000, were recovered. The Ferrari was stolen recently at gunpoint from a collector’s dealership in Costa Mesa, said a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol, which was also involved in the investigation.

Tulare County Deputy Joe Bomgardner and Lt. Don Landers flew to San Diego in pursuit of Dixon, who is wanted for fleeing police custody, attempted murder, armed robbery, burglary, assault and auto theft, said John P. Marinez, spokesman for the CHP in San Diego.

Dixon was described as white, 6-foot, 180 pounds, clean-cut with brown hair, a mustache, hazel eyes and wears wire-rim glasses.

He has been known to use the following aliases: David Taylor, Richard Shelby and David Fredricksen. He was last seen driving a black Ford Ranger with paper license plates from a Fuller Ford dealership. He is likely to be armed, Marinez said. Anyone with information should contact CHP investigators at 237-6811.