Maurice Hastings has been found guilty of theft and felony residential burglary with a deadly weapon. As reported in a social media post from the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office, the 67-year-old, while on parole, was convicted by a jury after he committed the crimes at the same apartment on two separate occasions and was caught by the San Mateo Police the second time.
Maurice Hastings (67) found guilty by jury of theft & felony residential burglary with a deadly weapon. Last year while on parole, Hastings broke into the same apartment twice armed with a knife, but couldn't outrun responding @SanMateoPD officers the second time. pic.twitter.com/zSpgkAucQC
— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) November 21, 2024
According to an article by the San Mateo Daily Journal, Hastings, who had previously followed a tenant through the security gate, stole a $450 mountain bike from the back patio of an apartment in the Darcy building on March 25. On May 24 at 3:38 a.m., Hastings broke into the apartment again by climbing through a window, went up to the sleeping victim, and turned on the light while holding a knife.
Before fleeing the scene and after threatening the victim with the knife, officers located Hastings near the apartment complex, where they found him equipped with a folding knife in his pocket. District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe described the situation as a "third strike" case, emphasizing the gravity of Hastings' criminal actions while on bail for another felony.
With Hastings charged with two counts of felony burglary and an enhancement for committing these crimes while out on bail, the harsh potential sentence of 50 years to life was looming over the trial that had been previously set for October 27.
