Neighbor's Cellphone Photo Leads to Burglary Suspect's Arrest

Photo courtesy of Redwood City Police Department

By Bay City News Service

Police on Wednesday arrested a residential burglary suspect in Redwood City after residents reported seeing a suspicious person in their neighborhood and took pictures of the suspect’s vehicle.

Carlos Mayen 19, of Redwood City, was arrested on suspicion of residential burglary.

Around noon Monday, residents in the 900 block of Fifth Avenue reported seeing a BMW they did not recognize parked in front of their neighbor’s home.

They saw a man exit the vehicle and walk down their neighbor’s driveway and out of view.

The neighbors went outside to get a better view of the man and the vehicle and saw another man exit the residence carrying a bag, police said.

The man put the bag in the trunk of the vehicle, and the two suspects drove away, but the neighbor used a cellphone to take pictures of the vehicle and its license plate.

The neighbor then called police, who searched the area but did not locate the suspect.

Police were able to track the vehicle to Oakland, but the registered owner told officers she recently sold the vehicle, police said.

On Wednesday at 11:57 p.m., another resident reported a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot in the 400 block of Seaport Court.

Responding officers located the vehicle and determined it was the same BMW that was at the burglary on Monday, police said.

The suspect, identified as Mayen, was taken into custody without incident.

Police said the second unidentified suspect involved in the burglary has not been located or identified.

Anyone with information on the burglary or suspects is asked to call Redwood City police at (650) 780-7681