Timely Witness Helps Palo Alto Cops Nab Burglary Suspect

PALO ALTO, CA -- Police are crediting a timely call from an alert witness with helping them arrest an auto burglary suspect minutes after the crime occurred.

At about 11:36 am on Monday, Jan. 30, the Palo Alto Police dispatch center received a call from a man in his 60s who had just witnessed a suspect commit an auto burglary at Stanford Shopping Center, located at 180 El Camino Real.

The witness said he observed the suspect break a window on a parked and unoccupied silver 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe rental car and reach inside.

The witness recorded the license plate, called police, and followed the suspect to the Town & Country Shopping Center at 855 El Camino Real. Officers located the suspect vehicle, a silver, four-door 2004 Honda Civic with the suspect still inside. Police detained the suspect without incident, and located a window punch tool in his possession.

Police later learned the suspect had an active felony warrant out of Mountain View for possession of stolen property and evading officers, and they also learned he was driving on a suspended license.

Police booked 26-year-old Joaquin Saturnino-Aguilar of Oakland into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for felony auto burglary, misdemeanor possession of burglary tools, vandalism and driving on a suspended license. Police also booked him pursuant to his outstanding warrant.

Detectives are investigating any possible connection between this suspect and other auto burglaries that have occurred in Palo Alto and surrounding communities.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the PAPD's 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.

Image via Palo Alto Police