Thomas

Defendant Robert Michael Thomas was arrested in Mendocino County while he was in possession of an automobile which had been stolen in Sonoma County. He was charged in Sonoma County with having feloniously taken and driven the automobile and with receiving stolen property. In proceedings to be described, he moved to suppress certain evidence pursuant to Penal Code section 1538.5. The motion was denied, and a jury found him guilty of receiving stolen property. The trial court sentenced him to state prison for a term prescribed by law. He appeals from the judgment of conviction.

I. Procedural Sequence

The principal contention on appeal requires that this sequence be summarized in chronological detail. A police officer arrested defendant in Fort Bragg on June 1, 1981. 1 He was then in possession of a 1980 AMC Concord automobile which had been stolen in Sonoma County on May 28. A two-count complaint was consequently filed against him in the Sonoma County Municipal Court on June 2. He was charged in count I with having taken and driven the automobile on May 28, without the consent of its owner, in violation of Vehicle Code section 10851; in count H, with a violation of Penal…