Peninsula Man Tries Selling Awning He Allegedly Stole To -- OOPS! - Undercover Cops

A Mountain View man was arrested after he allegedly tried selling on Craigslist an awning he stole from a Palo Alto front porch.

A resident of the 2100 block of Webster Street in Palo Alto called police to report a newly delivered package, an awning valued at $250, was swiped from his front porch in mid-May by an unknown suspect -- and he had the surveillance video to prove it, according to the Palo Alto Police Department.

The man’s home surveillance system captured the purported theft. (Scroll down to watch the video.)

The victim doggedly watched for online sales and eventually located an awning for sale on Craigslist that he believed matched his stolen item, police said. Once the victim saw the Craigslist ad, which included contact information for the seller, he reported the theft to police on May 28.

An undercover officer, posing as a buyer keen on the awning, contacted the “seller” and they agreed to meet May 30 morning in a parking lot on the 3100 block of El Camino Real, according to the department.

At about 11:25 a.m., the suspect arrived and met with two undercover cops, police said. After the officers examined the item and determined it was the same one stolen off the victim’s porch, the officers arrested the suspect, 39-year-old Eric Trinidad Espinoza of Mountain View.

Police said they also found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in his possession.

Espinoza was booked without incident into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for suspected possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, and driving on a suspended license.

This case highlights a crime that, unfortunately, occurs in virtually every community : Packages left unattended on porches make easy targets for criminals.

To avoid becoming a victim, the Palo Alto PD recommends these tips:

1. If your employer allows, have packages delivered to your office.

2. Have packages delivered to a place where they can be received in person, such as the home of a trusted neighbor who stays home during the day, or a retired relative.

3. Request that the shipper hold your package at its pick-up facility so you can pick it up in person at your convenience.

4. If purchasing something from a large retailer, request that your package be delivered to a local branch of the store so you can pick it up in person at your convenience.

5. Request that the shipper require a signature confirmation upon delivery; this prevents your package from being left at an unattended home.

6. Request a specific delivery date and time from the shipper when you know you will be home.

7. Provide delivery instructions to the shipper so that packages can be left at a safe location at your home that is out of sight from the street.

8. Sign up for delivery alerts (text messages or e-mails) from the shipper; call a trusted neighbor when the packages are delivered, and ask them to take the packages inside for safekeeping until you get home.

Anyone with information about this incident or this suspect is asked to call 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.