A San Francisco man's alleged theft spree stopped after Colma police apprehended him concerning a chain of grand thefts totaling over $16,000. On Tuesday evening, officers received a license plate recognition system notification about a vehicle linked to the suspect, said the Colma Police Department in a statement.
The alert sounded near Serramonte and Junipero Serra Boulevards, at around 9:05 pm. Responding to the scene, officers found the vehicle parked at a local business on the unit block of Colma Boulevard. Upon reviewing the footage with the assistance of the store's loss prevention team, it was confirmed that the suspect was inside the establishment.
Identified as 52-year-old James Garcia, the man was allegedly responsible for thefts from the business where he was located, with losses amounting to approximately $4,781.67. Police say Garcia is also linked to several similar grand thefts across San Mateo County and neighboring Bay Area counties.
Upon being detained without incident, Garcia was arrested and now faces charges of grand theft, burglary, and organized retail theft with intent to sell. He was booked into the San Mateo County Jail, as detailed by a Facebook post by the Colma Police Department. Garcia's arrest ends a string of thefts affecting multiple businesses in the region.
