Crime & Safety
Transient Caught in San Carlos Break-In Tied to Dozens of East Bay Crimes: Prosecutors
The district attorney's office says the 24-year-old wants to represent himself in court.
REDWOOD CITY, CA- A transient man suspected of stealing more than $500,000 in property from homes in San Mateo County and the East Bay pleaded not guilty to more than two dozen burglary charges Monday, prosecutors said.
Johnny Fobbs, 24, was charged with 30 counts of burglary and two counts of attempted burglary, according to prosecutors. Because he has already been convicted of two felonies, he is facing upwards of 25 years to life for each burglary charge, said San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
Fobbs declined a court-appointed lawyer and instead opted to represent himself, Wagstaffe said. Fobbs is next scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, and a judge will determine whether he will be able to represent himself in the case.
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Between September and January, prosecutors said residents from a number of homes in San Mateo County reported break-ins. In each case, prosecutors said the modus operandi was similar: The suspects broke a rear sliding glass door and stole guns, jewelry, cash and safes, prosecutors said.
The burglars used gloves, and witnesses reported seeing several suspects working as a team, prosecutors said.
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Police identified a suspect vehicle and placed an electronic tracker on the car. On Jan. 21, police tracked the car from the East Bay to San Carlos, where prosecutors said another home was burglarized using the same method as seen in the earlier burglaries. The officers attempted to stop the car, but the suspects led police on a pursuit that ended in Oakland with a foot chase, according to prosecutors. The officers caught up with Fobbs and arrested him on suspicion of committing the burglaries.
Prosecutors said police also found jewelry in Fobbs' pocket that was later determined to have been stolen from the San Carlos house that had been burglarized earlier that day.
Fobbs' co-conspirators have been identified, prosecutors said, but they are not yet in custody.
Fobbs is being held on $10 million bail. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for April 22.
By Bay City News Service
(Image via Shutterstock)
