Crime & Safety
San Mateo Police Thwart Roof-Top Burglary
The suspects managed to steal a flat screen TV by climbing down the exterior scaffolding to a building.
The San Mateo Police Department arrested two suspects in connection with a roof-top burglary in San Mateo on Friday night.
Officers responded to an alarm activation at a business in the 3700 block of S. El Camino Real at about 10:50 p.m. and noticed suspects climbing down an exterior scaffolding of the building with a flat screen TV, San Mateo Police Sgt. Dave Norris said.
A perimeter was quickly set and the suspects, 26-year-old Patrick Solomon Hall and a 16-year-old boy, both of San Francisco, were detained.
Find out what's happening in San Mateowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Upon investigation, officers determind the suspects accessed the business through the roof hatch, and that the television had been stolen from inside.
Hall was booked into San Mateo County Jail on suspicion of Commercial Burglary, and the juvenile suspect was released to a parent on charges of Trespassing and Possession of Marijuana.
Find out what's happening in San Mateowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
A message from the San Mateo Police Department:
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT CRIME?
The speedy in-progress arrest made in this case reinforces the fact that alarm systems are a useful security measure. However, the suspects in this case gained access to the business due to an unsecured latch. This should serve as a reminder to LOCK YOUR DOORS. Most theft related crimes like this one, whether involving homes, businesses, or vehicles, are crimes of opportunity. They occur because an access point was left unsecured. Locking your doors and windows provides the most important layer of protection against these crimes.
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
Anyone with information on current investigations or ongoing crime trends is encouraged to contact SMPD Investigations:
- SMPD Investigations Bureau: 522-7650
- SMPD Secret Witness hotline: 522-7676
- Anonymous Text to SMPD: 262-3473
If you see a crime in progress or anything that appears to be suspicious in your neighborhood, please do not hesitate to contact the San Mateo Police Department:
- Emergencies and crimes in progress: 911
- Non-urgent matters or direct dial SMPD from mobile phone: 650-522-7700
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