Serial Burglar Caught In The Act In SMC: Police

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — A months-long investigation involving the Redwood City Police Department and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office has linked one suspect to at least two residential burglaries and a home invasion along the Peninsula, police said.

The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Miguel Antonio AguilarSarabia of Redwood City, has been in custody since Jan. 17 while detectives conducted extensive follow-up investigations, police said.

The case started in the early hours of Jan. 9, when Sheriff’s deputies responded to a robbery report at a home in San Carlos. A person reportedly forced their way into the victim’s home, pointed what appeared to be a gun, and demanded money and valuables before fleeing on a bicycle, police said. The victim was not injured.

On Jan. 17, Redwood City Police officers were dispatched to a Redwood City residence after a caregiver reported an intruder was inside the home, police said. The caregiver and the homeowner were downstairs when footsteps were heard upstairs. Also, the home’s alarm system hadn't activated after the power went out just before the noises began.

Police quickly launched a drone, which arrived minutes before officers. When officers arrived and contacted the victims, the drone and its operator spotted the suspect trying to flee out of a patio door in the pitch-black conditions, police said.

The drone kept tracking the person until officers could locate and detain him without incident. Officers said they were able to recover jewelry and other stolen items belonging to the homeowner. Investigators also found that the home’s main electrical breaker had been switched off.

AguilarSarabia was booked on Jan. 17 for several charges, including residential burglary and resisting an officer.

Redwood City Police detectives, working closely with Sheriff’s Office detectives, obtained a search warrant the same day for the suspect’s residence. That search turned up stolen property and other evidence connecting AguilarSarabia to at least one other residential burglary in Redwood City and the San Carlos home invasion, police said.

“When someone targets residents in their own home, we respond with urgency and utilize every tool available to us,” said Redwood City Police Chief Kristina Bell. “Our officers, detectives, and DFR team worked seamlessly to locate the suspect, protect the victims, and preserve critical evidence. This case highlights how technology, coordination, and relentless follow-up can disrupt crime and hold offenders accountable.”

The Sheriff’s Office Forensic Laboratory analyzed evidence from the San Carlos case, which ultimately connected AguilarSarabia to the home invasion. This led to additional charges being added on Feb. 26, including robbery, assault with a semi-automatic firearm and felony elder abuse.

“This case represents the very best of our profession. When agencies collaborate, share information effectively, and utilize advanced technology alongside exceptional police work, we can bring even the most challenging cases to a successful resolution,” said San Mateo County Sheriff Ken Binder.