SAN JOSE — Police announced the arrests of more suspects linked to a string of burglaries at South Bay smoke shops that began with stolen cars being used to smash through locked storefronts.
San Jose police said in a news release on Tuesday that the department investigated 26 burglaries between March and August — many of which targeted smoke shops.
In the first set of arrests, announced in late July, police said they had taken a 26-year-old man and three minors into custody after linking them to at least eight burglaries in a spree of 10. On Tuesday, authorities said they had on Aug. 30 arrested six minors — three of the July suspects, arrested on new charges, plus three additional juvenile suspects — and a 45-year-old San Jose man.
The searches yielded two firearms and evidence related to the burglaries, police said.
The minors were arrested on suspicion of burglary and firearm violations. The 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of firearm and narcotic violations and child endangerment, police said.
Authorities did not specify the link between the adult suspect and the burglaries, saying only that the man was “associated to at least one of the juveniles” and that “his illegal activity was discovered during the course of the burglary investigations.
“Our Officers and Detectives tirelessly conducted follow up and gathered evidence to ensure the dozens of affected businesses receive justice,” San Jose police Chief Anthony Mata said in the release. “Our Department is committed to enforcing the law, and hope that we can be part of a solution to prevent our youth from getting entangled in the criminal justice system.”
Police said the series of burglaries were characterized by a pattern: The suspects would use stolen Kia and Hyundai vehicles to ram into smoke-shop storefronts, then steal merchandise and drive away in the vehicles.
Kia and Hyundai vehicles have received unwanted attention over the past year after social media trends exposed a method to steal certain models with turn-key ignitions. The automakers issued software updates in February to combat rising car thefts.
San Jose police posted a YouTube compilation of the alleged thieves bashing through the front entryways of various smoke shops in order to gain access to the merchandise.
Police said the suspects were believed to be responsible for additional burglaries outside of San Jose, but no additional details were released.
Anyone with any information or surveillance video regarding the above commercial burglaries is urged to contact Detectives Gach and Bergstrom of the San Jose Police Department Burglary Unit at 4338@sanjoseca.gov or 4318@sanjoseca.gov or 408-277-4521.
