A San Francisco man has been charged with breaking into an FBI truck and stealing expensive government gear, including flash-bang grenades and a ballistic vest, which he allegedly traded for illegal drugs.

On August 9, Gregory Acosta Alvarez was formally charged in federal court with stealing government property.

Federal court papers state that on the morning of August 7, an FBI agent found that their Ford F-150 truck, parked on Natoma Street, had been broken into. The agent noted that various items were missing, including several saws, surveillance tools, a torch kit, a gas deployment gun, a ballistic vest with FBI insignia, multiple flash-bang grenades, and a defibrillator.

Security footage revealed Acosta Alvarez biking past the truck around 12:30 a.m. on August 7. He was seen stopping to break in and then riding away with the stolen items to a hotel located less than a quarter of a mile away.

Equipment Worth Thousands Traded for Just $20 in Drugs

Upon searching his hotel room, authorities discovered the bicycle used during the theft, along with several of the stolen items, including 23 flash-bang grenades and the defibrillator. However, the gas gun and ballistic vest—valued at around $1,500—were missing. Acosta Alvarez confessed to officers that he had exchanged these items earlier that day for $20 worth of crystal methamphetamine.

Acosta Alvarez is currently being detained in San Francisco County jail without the option for bail. He faces charges of burglary, grand theft, possession of stolen goods, and drug possession.