Man Breaks Into Multiple Peninsula Homes, Gropes Men, Steals Property: Police

SAN MATEO, CA – A Peninsula man is in custody Tuesday, suspected of breaking into "several" area residences, burglarizing them and sexually assaulting residents, police say.

According to the San Mateo Police Department, the agency received calls on Monday regarding a man who was breaking into several residences in the area of North Kingston and North Bayshore Boulevard.

"Additional information revealed that the suspect had groped two separate adult tenants in the building, and stole property as well," police said in a news release.

Authorities responded to the area immediately, and say they found a man leaving through a resident's window and "swiftly took him into custody" – after a brief chase and struggle by the suspect that injured an officer.

"The man, later identified as 24-year-old Ismael Espinoza- Velasquez, a San Mateo resident with prior police contacts, violently resisted officers as he was being arrested, and one of our officer sustained a minor injury while taking Velasquez into custody," police said.

Police say that once Espinoza- Velasquez was in custody, witnesses and victims told them that two separate adult males had been groped by him.

"Velasquez also stole property from multiple locations as well," police said.

Espinoza- Velasquez was booked on suspicion of five counts of burglary, two counts of attempted burglary, three counts of sexual battery, assault on a peace officer, and obstructing / delaying a peace officer, police said. Jail records indicate his bail was set at $50,000.

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