Crime & Safety
24-Year-Old San Leandro Man Charged In Armed Robbery
A man who's had numerous run-ins with law enforcement was charged after he reportedly robbed a victim at gunpoint and fled from police.
FREMONT, CA — Fremont police detectives have charged a 24-year-old San Leandro man — who has had numerous, previous run-ins with law enforcement — with armed robbery and other charges after he allegedly robbed a victim at gunpoint, stole personal property and several Audi license plates from other cars in the neighborhood before fleeing in a black Audi SUV.
The incident occurred at 6:40 a.m. Sept. 28 in the 34000 block of Tempest Terrace, according to Fremont police.
The following day, the Fremont Police Department received a call from Audi to advise that they were tracking a stolen Audi in the city's Niles District.
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Officers and detectives began flooding the area, eventually locating the stolen Audi. At that time, patrol units realized the Audi was the exact vehicle as the robbery vehicle from Tempest Terrace from the day before.
The suspect immediately fled the area, and patrol units began pursuing the car. During the pursuit, the suspect rammed two Fremont police patrol vehicles and eventually escaped pursuing officers.
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According to police, Fremont detectives then began working to track the Audi's location. During this incident, detectives were also directed to another pursuit and perimeter search when San Leandro police detectives attempted to arrest an unrelated robbery suspect in Fremont.
While assisting San Leandro police, Fremont detectives obtained the location of the Audi, which was shown to be in San Mateo. Detectives split their resources, and part of the team deployed to San Mateo to search for the Audi while the rest remained to assist San Leandro police.
Fremont detectives arrived in San Mateo and began surveillance on the Audi, which appeared to be unoccupied. After extended surveillance, the suspect vehicle was recovered and towed back to the Fremont Police Department for evidence processing. During a search of the Audi, detectives found handgun ammunition and a loaded rifle magazine.
Fremont robbery detectives took over the investigation and working with the Fremont's police crime lab, lifted a fingerprint from within the car. The fingerprint was matched to Thomas Tomasello, 24, of San Leandro. Detectives began a search for Tomasello.
On Oct. 7, Foster City police arrested Tomasello after witnesses reported him casing parked cars. Tomasello was arrested after he entered a stolen vehicle. Foster City officers recovered a stolen handgun and several of the stolen Audi license plates from the Fremont incidents.
Tomasello was booked into San Mateo County Jail on various charges associated with the Foster City arrest.
On Oct. 13, Fremont robbery detectives presented the Fremont investigation to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, which charged Tomasello with robbery with a firearm, felon in possession of a gun, auto burglary, reckless evading, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and felon in possession of ammunition.
Tomasello also had an active warrant from the Alameda County Sheriff's Department for felony evading a vehicle.
As soon as Tomasello clears his court proceedings in San Mateo County, he will be transferred to Alameda County to face the Fremont charges.
Fremont police added that Tomasello is currently on probation for felony domestic violence. He has prior arrests for assault with a deadly weapon with great bodily injury, domestic violence, false information to a police officer, battery, probation violation, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of the stolen property, possession of a controlled substance, violation of a court order, possession of burglary tools, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, felony evading and resisting arrest.
Anyone with information about Tomasello is asked to contact Det.
Jared Madsen at (510) 790-6900 or jmadsen@fremont.gov. Tips may also be sent anonymously by texting TIP FREMONTPD followed by a message to 888-777.
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