Foster City Police Arrest Vehicle Theft Suspects

Foster City police arrested four suspects early Wednesday morning believed to be linked to multiple auto burglaries.

An alert resident called police at about 3:50 a.m. reporting four suspicious people looking into car windows and trying to open the doors of parked vehicles on Haddock Street, Foster City police said.

The resident provided a description of the suspects while officers responded to the scene.

The officers located two of the suspects walking on the street, another concealed in the bushes of a nearby residence, and the fourth hiding in the driveway of another home, according to police.

The officers also found stolen property and other evidence of criminal activity, police said.

The four suspects were arrested and booked into San Mateo County Jail on various charges including theft, conspiracy, possession of stolen property, and possession of burglary tools.

Authorities believe the suspects may also be responsible for multiple auto burglaries that have recently occurred within Foster City, which are currently under investigation by the detective unit.

The arrested suspects were: Zachary Guyton, 22, of Foster City; Deondre Washington, 18, of Foster City; Timothy Todd, 18, of San Mateo; and John McNamara, 22, of San Mateo.

A message from Foster City Police Chief Matthew Martell:

In this case as well as most auto burglaries, the suspects were looking for easy targets. The Police Department reminds all residents it is better to avoid being a victim by taking a few simple, common sense steps.

The first and simplest is to lock your car, regardless of whether it is parked in a public parking lot, carport or your driveway. The second is to avoid storing valuables in your vehicle, especially in view of passersby.

In most cases, thefts from cars are a crime of opportunity. Suspects walk areas with high concentrations of vehicles, first checking for those that are unlocked and then for those with items of value or possible value, that are visible.

The most sought after items continue to be purses, laptop computers, GPS devices, and cash. Owners can easily store these items out of sight, or better yet, remove them from the vehicle entirely.

The Police Department works diligently to patrol Foster City streets and provide a visible deterrent to criminals, but crime prevention is a community effort.

Residents are urged to use these simple crime prevention strategies and to report suspicious people and situations immediately, which the witness did in this particular case, leading to the arrest of prolific theft suspects.

When making these reports, the description of the person and/or vehicle is very important. Together we can continue to keep Foster City one of the safest communities to live, work and play.

Foster City Tip Line: 650-286-3323

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