In a string of high-stakes home invasions and burglaries across the Bay Area, a quartet of Oakland men have been cuffed. According to the San José Police Department, the group is believed to have swiped luxury items including jewelry, designer watches, and purses, along with large sums of cash and several firearms from unsuspecting residents. Perpetrators also were jamming WiFi signals to duck detection from home security cameras.
The suspects, identified as Dejaun Mabon, 35, Maurice Barrow, 38, Shawn Wyatt, 35, and Lawrence Barton, 37, were nabbed by a combination of forces from the Fremont Police Department's Special Operations Division and the San José Police Department’s Air Support Unit. Not only were the suspects caught red-handed during an alleged burglary in Union City, but subsequent searches of their domiciles yielded a stash of over $100,000 in cash and stolen goods.
The investigation, as detailed in a recent press release by the SJPD, was a concerted effort that connected the dots between the rash of burglaries in Bay Area cities such as San Bruno, Fremont, Milpitas, and Union City. Techniques such as using WiFi Jammers allowed the suspects to operate with a cloak of digital invisibility, complicating law enforcement efforts to bring them to book.
Five search warrants netted not just the ill-gotten gains but also several handguns and a high-capacity rifle, the likes of which add a chilling layer of danger to the crimes committed. The suspects are currently cooling their heels in Alameda County Jail, awaiting transfer to the Santa Clara County Main Jail to face charges for their alleged criminal spree. The SJPD has issued a call for further information that could shine a light on similar cases, imploring the public to contact Detectives via email or phone.
The successful apprehension of these individuals was chalked up to a collaborative push involving multiple police departments, with the San José PD extending its gratitude to Fremont, San Bruno, Milpitas, and Merced Police Departments for their assistance. The public is encouraged to submit anonymous tips through Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers with potential cash rewards for information leading to additional arrests.
