Auto Burglars Caught Red-Handed, Peninsula Police Say

SAN MATEO, CA — San Mateo police arrested two people last weekend after one of them was seen breaking into a vehicle at a shopping center, police said Thursday. The agency credits proactive patrols by police, due to a recent uptick in car break-ins in town.

At 12:15 a.m. Sunday, officers were patrolling the Marina Plaza Shopping Center at 2920 Norfolk St., police said in a news release. Suddenly, they heard a car alarm sounding nearby.

"Officers observed a man, later identified as 30-year-old Peter Martinez, reaching into a vehicle through a broken car window and removing property," police said. "Martinez got into a white minivan driven by a female, later identified as 22-year-old Mayra Ruvalcaba, and drove away."

When officers pulled the minivan over, Martinez allegedly jumped out and fled on foot with the stolen property. Officers pursued him and eventually found him hiding in a bush nearby, police said.

Martinez was arrested on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy, possessing burglary tools and evading police.
Police also arrested Ruvalcaba on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy and evading police. She and Martinez were taken to San Mateo County Jail, police said.

— Bay City News Service contributed to this report / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone