A group of teenage boys were detained and police said they stole the car and started a series of burglaries on Christmas Eve, driving them into shops around the Bay Area.
The San Jose Police Department announced in a press release Monday that the boys, aged 14 to 16, had stolen multiple businesses within three months.
In surveillance footage of the burglary in March, the teen attached a chain to the back of the car and ripped the front door off to the liquor store. They ransacked the store and stuffed the stolen goods into the trunk of the car. The jingle of the glass bottle can be heard in the security video.
The first incident was reported on Christmas Eve.
In that incident, police said four suspects drove a vehicle into a business near Almaden Road near the highway and ransacked it. The suspect had disappeared when the police arrived, and dozens of similar incidents were reportedly forced into buildings in the following weeks.
But law enforcement finally caught up with the crew on March 25 through a series of runs throughout San Jose. They allegedly stole two cars from around 3 a.m. and then tried to steal someone nearby 15 minutes later. Police said the suspect drove a car owner away with a gun and faced them when they broke into his car, which caused an alarm and left everyone with escape.
But about 30 minutes later, police said they found the suspect in two vehicles in downtown San Jose after a reading board reader hit.
When the officers tried to pull the vehicle over, they refused to stop and escape – but only for the time being. One of the vehicles was eventually found on the highway, and after chasing, a suspect was arrested. Police said the second suspect in that car pointed a gun at the officer escape.
Officials said two more crew members were captured after 4 o’clock after police chased. A suspect hit a police cruiser with his car while trying to escape.
At some point, San Jose police investigators learned that Santa Clara police were also investigating similar crimes within their jurisdiction, and the remaining three crew members were confirmed and warrants were issued.
On June 17, they were detained at their homes in Milpitas and San Jose. Two women linked to the teenager accused of discarding evidence were also arrested, according to police.
While searching the house, investigators found a magazine with guns, ski masks, a critical FOB for vehicles, a tool for accessing vehicle diagnostic information, several replicas of guns, ammunition and steel chains.
