In a display of collaborative efforts between law enforcement and citizens, a robbery suspect was apprehended in San Mateo following a shoplifting and assault incident at the Hillsdale Shopping Center.
On saturday evening, the San Mateo Police Department was alerted to a robbery at Macy's in the bustling Hillsdale Shopping Center. As reported by the police. a Loss Prevention agent had observed a male subject, placing numerous bottles of perfume into a plastic bag. Upon realizing he was being watched, the suspect abandoned several perfume bottles but left the store with the unpaid items in his bag.
Loss Prevention Helps SMPD ID Robbery Suspect After Theft & Assault
— San Mateo PD (@SanMateoPD) September 11, 2023
While shoplifters and retail thieves continue to target local malls, SMPD continues to make arrests with the help of witness statements and technology.
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Once outside, the suspect was confronted by the agent who attempted to retrieve the stolen goods. However, a physical altercation ensued, transforming this seemingly simple theft into an Estes Robbery. Irma Herrera, a bystander who witnessed the events unfold, expressed her appreciation to the agent and law enforcement. "It's comforting to know that people are willing to step up and help catch criminals. It makes me feel safer in our community," she said.
In a turn of events that would ultimately lead to the arrest of the robber, the Loss Prevention agent succeeded in obtaining the license plate number of the vehicle used by the suspect to flee the scene. This piece of information, combined with security footage and witness statements, allowed the SMPD officers to identify Ruben Polanco, a 33-year-old Hayward resident, as the perpetrator of the crime.
Two days after the incident, the Fremont Police Department located the suspect vehicle and detained Polanco without incident. Officers from the SMPD then arrested him and transported him to San Mateo County Jail, where he was booked for second-degree robbery.
