Walnut Creek police say they've cracked a string of storage-unit break-ins that stretched well beyond the city limits, arresting a 43-year-old Daly City man now facing 26 counts of burglary. Francis Robinson was taken into custody on October 27 following a nine-day investigation that began when a patrol officer flagged him as a potential suspect.
Investigation Started With a Routine Patrol Stop
According to Contra Costa News, the Walnut Creek Police Department opened its investigation into a series of storage unit burglaries on October 18, and it didn't take long for a responding patrol officer to zero in on a potential suspect, later identified as Robinson. Nine days later, on October 27, Walnut Creek detectives tracked him down and made the arrest in connection with the burglary spree, according to KRON4.
Detectives didn't stop at the arrest. They executed search warrants at multiple storage units connected to Robinson and recovered stolen property tied not just to the Walnut Creek case but to burglaries in neighboring cities as well, the station's report notes. Police have not specified which storage facilities were hit or exactly where Robinson was arrested.
Two Criminal Cases, 26 Counts, and a Bail Dispute
The Walnut Creek Police Department announced the arrest in a press release Monday, and the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office has since filed two separate cases against Robinson. Those cases include 26 counts of burglary along with an enhancement for allegedly committing a felony while already out on bail or released on his own recognizance, per the same account.
Robinson remained in jail as of Monday, but the two outlets reporting on the case disagree sharply on the bail figure. KRON4's reporting lists his bail at $270,000 according to Contra Costa County jail records, while Contra Costa News reports he remains in custody with bail set at $3 million. Hoodline could not independently verify which figure is accurate.
Pattern Echoes a Larger Bay Area Case
Walnut Creek police said the burglaries weren't confined to one city, noting that recovered property also connects to break-ins in neighboring communities. That multi-jurisdiction pattern mirrors a separate case out of Santa Clara, where police say a man by the same name, Francis Robinson, was eventually linked to 75 burglaries across multiple Bay Area cities after detectives there identified a series involving storage units on February 23, according to KRON4's earlier report on that investigation. In that case, searches of storage units and a vehicle tied to Robinson reportedly turned up stolen property, stolen firearms including a homemade assault rifle, ammunition, and burglary tools, the station reported.
Police Seek Victims From October Burglaries
Walnut Creek investigators are now asking anyone whose storage unit was burglarized during October to come forward so detectives can check whether their belongings are among the recovered property. Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to call (925) 943-5844 or email Detective Overton at [email protected].
