San Bruno police say a routine patrol through a part of town known for higher crime turned into a weapons bust yesterday, after officers stopped a suspicious vehicle and discovered a loaded handgun reported stolen. Department photos show the pistol laid out on an evidence table alongside ammunition and cannabis vape cartridges. A 33-year-old Oakland man, described by police as a convicted felon, was arrested and booked into the San Mateo County jail.
According to a Facebook post by the San Bruno Police Department, an officer spotted the vehicle and developed probable cause to search it. Inside, police say they found a loaded Sig Sauer SP2022 that had been reported stolen. The department listed ammunition in .357 Sig and .40 S&W, and showed vape cartridges. The suspect was arrested at the scene and taken to the San Mateo County jail.
What Officers Found
Photos attached to the department’s post give a closer look at what officers say they seized: a Sig Sauer SP2022 pistol with magazines, boxes of ammunition labeled .357 Sig and .40 S&W, and STIIIZY-branded vape pods marked "Granddaddy Purp." Granddaddy Purp is a STIIIZY-branded vape product sold through legal dispensaries, according to Ohana Cannabis. The SP2022 is available in variants chambered in .357 Sig and .40 S&W, which align with the calibers listed by police. The department shared the evidence photos as an example of what it called "proactive patrol" work.
Legal Implications
Because the man arrested is a convicted felon, police note that simply possessing a firearm can be charged as a felony under California law. California Penal Code Section 29800 makes it unlawful for certain convicted persons to own or possess firearms. If investigators confirm the pistol was stolen, that could lead to additional theft-related charges and a formal trace of the weapon through law enforcement databases.
Police Reaction
In its post, the department touted the stop as proactive policing and said the firearm is no longer on our streets. Along with the brief narrative of the encounter, officers highlighted the seized gun, ammo, and vape cartridges as evidence of their efforts to pull potentially dangerous items out of public circulation and, as they framed it, make San Bruno’s neighborhoods safer.
How To Help
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the San Bruno Police Department at (650) 616-7100 or through the department’s contact page on the City of San Bruno website. For emergencies, call 911.
