A 30-year-old San Jose man is sitting in the San Mateo County Jail after Colma police say they caught up with an alleged Home Depot theft-and-return scheme that had been simmering for weeks on Colma Boulevard.
He was arrested last Thursday in Colma after investigators linked him to a series of alleged thefts and fraudulent returns at the big-box retailer. Police say the pattern stretches back to late February and includes an alleged water heater theft on March 11. He was booked on felony charges that include burglary and grand theft.
According to a Town of Colma Police post, the break in the case came at about 9:17 AM, when license-plate cameras flagged a white Ram pickup rolling into town. Investigators matched the truck’s plate, had the vehicle towed, and then found the suspect in the Home Depot parking lot. Store loss-prevention staff positively identified him, and officers detained him on the spot.
The department says the man, described as a 30-year-old San Jose resident, is tied to multiple incidents at the Colma store between Feb. 23 and March 18, including attempted fraudulent returns and two thefts. Police say he was arrested on suspicion of burglary, grand theft, and theft by false pretenses, then booked into the San Mateo County Jail.
Alleged Pattern Of Returns And Thefts
Colma police outline at least five separate incidents tied to the suspect: a $984.99 fraudulent return on Feb. 23, two thefts on Feb. 27 that together totaled $1,618.49, a $427.63 fraudulent return on March 9, the alleged $1,469 water-heater theft on March 11, and a $477.82 fraudulent return on March 18. All told, the department estimates roughly $4,978 in merchandise was involved.
According to the department’s account, the March 11 attempt to return the water heater was denied, and the suspect then walked out with the unpaid unit anyway. It was that water heater that became the standout detail in what police describe as an ongoing pattern rather than a one-off score.
How Technology Helped Colma Police
In its write-up, the department credits automated license-plate reading cameras for sparking the alert that put officers on the pickup’s trail, a policing tool that has quietly become a local workhorse.
Hoodline reported on Colma arrests aided by similar systems, and notes that vendors such as Flock Safety provide real-time pings when vehicles of interest roll into monitored areas. In this case, that built-in heads-up appears to have turned a routine morning patrol into a felony arrest.
Legal Status And How To Contact Police
The department says the suspect was booked into the San Mateo County Jail on felony charges and that the investigation remains active. The Town of Colma website lists the police department’s public phone number and carries news updates for anyone with tips or questions about the case.
Colma police published the account as part of their “Felony Friday” series yesterday. The original Town of Colma Police post includes photos and the department’s full timeline of events. Investigators say they are continuing to develop the case, and more details could surface as it moves through the county jail and court process.
