Three people suspected of a string of burglaries in Santa Clara County targeting Asian American households were arrested this week in a joint law enforcement operation.
The police departments of San Jose, Campbell and Mountain View formed a joint investigation along with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office after a tip in December led law enforcement to believe that a series of burglaries in those and other cities were connected.
San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph said at a press conference on Wednesday that the three suspects are accused of stealing over 700 pieces of stolen property with a total value estimated at about $1 million.
Joseph said the burglaries started in September last year. Stolen items included jewelry, foreign currency, firearms, purses, watches and family heirlooms.
He said the three are suspected of being part of a larger burglary ring, the size of which Jospeh could not estimate.
“We have some in custody, we may not have everyone in custody,” Joseph said in response to a reporter’s question.
The suspects are 25-year-old Stockton resident Alberto Ibarra Vallejo, 46-year-old Hayward resident Jaime Arroyo Martinez, and Gonzalo Valencia Ramos, a 28-year-old French Camp resident.
The three are suspected of committing about 30 residential burglaries in San Jose, targeting residences in the West Valley neighborhood. Another 18 were allegedly committed in Cupertino and Saratoga, 20 in Mountain View, and 11 in Campbell.
They are facing at least 72 counts of burglary and could face up to life in prison if convicted, Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen said at the press conference. He said hate crime enhancements would be applied because the suspects allegedly targeted houses occupied by Asian American and Pacific Islander residents.
“We hope the arrests in this case will begin to restore a sense of security that was stolen from these families,” Joseph said.