Vournazos

Defendant appeals from judgment (order granting probation) entered after his negotiated plea of nolo contendere to the unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle (Veh. Code, § 10851, subd. (a)) and to receiving stolen property (Pen. Code, § 496).

Facts

On August 5, 1985, Craig Wright parked and locked his 1981 Mercedes Benz automobile in the garage at his residence. The following morning he discovered the car was missing. On August 7, 1985, at 12:30 a.m. while on patrol, Officer Holbrook saw a Mercedes Benz double parked. Holbrook noticed the car had no rear license plate and ascertained that it was stolen. He walked over to the car and found defendant in the driver’s seat. Defendant told him that a man named Schwartz, whom he met on Hollywood Boulevard, gave him permission to drive the car; he did not know Schwartz’s address, telephone number, or how to get in touch with him. From a computer check Holbrook learned that the car belonged to Wright. Holbrook arrested defendant and searched the car. In the front console immediately to the right of the driver’s seat he found blank checks, credit cards and identification cards. Some of these items belonged to one Dale Condra…