Armed Auto Burglar Arrested: Fremont Police

FREMONT, CA — The Fremont Police SWAT team arrested an armed, prolific auto burglary suspect last Friday, a felon who was out on bail at the time he was taken into custody, according to Fremont Police. Armani Phillips, 21, of Hayward, was arrested near his Hayward residence in his Volvo S80, a luxury car that, with options, costs about $50,000 brand new.

The manhunt for Phillips began on July 9 when an officer took reports of two vehicle burglaries that happened in the parking lot of City Sports on Farwell Place. The business provided the officer with surveillance video which showed a grey Volvo S60 or S80 4-door car, with an unknown license plate. "The vehicle backed into a parking stall and a male got out and broke the windows of the victim vehicles," police says in a statement. "The suspect then removed items located inside the vehicles, including a wallet, banks cards, a backpack containing a laptop."

Detectives took over the investigation. One detective checked the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC) database for license plate reader data associated to a Volvo traveling westbound through Fremont's community camera system located at Mowry Avenue and the entrance to I-880. The data led straight to Phillips' Volvo S80, which included the information that he was on active probation, with a search clause for carrying a concealed firearm.

Officers obtained an arrest warrant for Phillips and a search warrant his residence.

The SWAT Team was activated to serve the warrants because Philips has a pending assault with a firearms case. When contacted on July 20, "Phillips was non-compliant and shifted his vehicle in reverse, attempting to escape by driving his car into our police vehicles," police report in a statement. "SWAT Team members were able to thwart Phillips attempt and safely took him into custody." A loaded pistol was found on the floorboard of his car near Phillips’ legs. It had been stolen out of a parked vehicle.

A search of the Phillips’ residence produced multiple items of stolen property linked to five auto burglaries in Fremont and investigators believe he likely committed additional crimes in the area.

Detective Sgt. Jason Lambert said, “If it weren’t for the Department’s use of automated license plate reader cameras, we would not have been able to solve this case. This is a great example of how our private-community video partnership is working to solve crimes involving prolific offenders in our City.”

Phillips was booked on the following charges:

• PC 2900 (a) (1) – Felon in possession of a firearm
• PC 496 (a) – Receiving known stolen property
• PC 12022.1 – Committing a felony while out on bail
• PC 459 – Burglary (3 counts)

-Image via Fremont Police