Auto Burglary Stakeout Nabs Four in Palo Alto

PALO ALTO – Police say they arrested four suspects Tuesday afternoon for auto burglaries that occurred in Milpitas and Palo Alto, and detectives are investigating to see if the four may be responsible for burglaries in other cities.

Around 11 a.m. Monday, the Milpitas Police Department notified area law enforcement agencies of two auto burglaries that had just occurred in their city. Their bulletin included a detailed suspect vehicle description (a red 2013 Toyota Corolla) with a known license plate provided by a witness.

Detectives from the Palo Alto Police Department in unmarked cars say they began patrolling areas commonly targeted by daytime and evening auto burglars, and at about 12:16 p.m., located the Corolla driving slowly through the parking lot at the Town & Country Shopping Center at 855 El Camino Real.

Police observed two suspects in the car, and two additional suspects walking nearby, looking into parked vehicles. As they watched, the two suspects on foot got back into the car. When marked police vehicles arrived, officers say they stopped the car in the parking lot for investigation.

A short time after being stopped, three of the four suspects simultaneously fled in different directions on foot. Officers chased and arrested all three suspects nearby without further incident. There were no injuries during the arrests.

The ongoing investigation revealed that the suspects were in possession of a laptop stolen in one of the auto burglaries committed that morning in Milpitas. Palo Alto Police also say the suspects had additional property in the vehicle that detectives believe may have been stolen from other area auto burglaries, though the identification of that property (two laptop computers and other miscellaneous items) is still pending. Detectives in Palo Alto are working with police departments in other cities to determine if these suspects can be connected to additional burglaries.

During the follow-up investigation, detectives say they were able to confirm that two of the four suspects were responsible for committing three auto burglaries on the night of Thursday, January 21, in Palo Alto. In those cases, the suspects broke windows of cars parked in restaurants along El Camino Real and stole items (including personal electronic devices and clothing items) from inside. The property stolen in those three crimes has not been recovered.

Palo Alto Police booked the four suspects into the Santa Clara County Main Jail. All suspects were charged with two felony counts of auto burglary for the crimes that occurred in Milpitas on Monday morning and one felony count of conspiracy.

Additionally, police say 29-year-old Jon Anthony Hamilton of Richmond was booked for three more felony counts of auto burglary for the crimes that occurred in Palo Alto on January 21, a felony enhancement for committing a felony while out on bail (for a possession of stolen property / possession of burglary tools case currently pending in Contra Costa County), and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

21-year-old LeRan Hamilton of Richmond was also booked for three more felony counts of auto burglary for the crimes that occurred in Palo Alto on January 21, misdemeanor possession of burglary tools (a window punch), and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

26-year-old James Allen Barker, Jr., of Richmond was also booked for misdemeanor resisting arrest and misdemeanor false information to police (for initially lying about his identity).

27-year-old DaJuan Dasheem Blackwell of Hayward was also booked for a felony parole violation (he is on parole for burglary and narcotics sales).

Police say auto burglary and thefts from autos are exceptionally common crimes throughout the Bay Area. To avoid becoming a victim, they suggest you never leave valuables in your car, and always lock up. To view an auto burglary prevention video Palo Alto police released in December, click here.

For more crime prevention tips, you can visit www.cityofpaloalto.org/StopCrime.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call the 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413.

Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through our free mobile app, downloadable at bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.

-images via Palo Alto PD