Full Notification

On Wednesday, March 11th 2021, at approximately 7:44 AM, Sausalito Police Officers were dispatched to a possible mail theft in the 500 block of Olima Street. Officers were notified that a subject was seen forcing his way into mailboxes and taking mail from at least 6 mailboxes in the area. The witness described the suspect as a white male adult who was approximately 20 years old. The suspect was last seen by the witness leaving the area in a grey Range Rover SUV with paper plates. The vehicle left the area towards Butte Street.

Officers immediately began to check the area. They focused on areas of the city with large mailbox groups based on previous and recent mail theft cases in town where there was forced entry. The vehicle mentioned also matched the description from the past cases.

Officer Adam Clerici located the vehicle parked at the Eden Roc complex. Once the officer was able to get behind the vehicle he attempted a traffic stop on Ebbtide. The suspect vehicle failed to stop and continued down Ebbtide and onto northbound Bridgeway. The vehicle failed to stop at two stop signs and the red signal light at Ebbtide and Bridgeway. The vehicle then ran through the red light at Bridgeway and Gate 6 and continued southbound onto the northbound Highway 101 via the northbound off ramp. Officer Clerici discontinued his attempt to stop the vehicle at that time. Officer Clerici parked in the gore point where he was able to observe the vehicle driving southbound on northbound 101 through oncoming traffic.

Officer Edgar Padilla was on Rodeo Avenue when the suspect vehicle came off of Highway 101 at a high rate of speed towards his patrol vehicle. Officer Padilla was luckily able to avoid a collision with the suspect vehicle. Officers continued their search for the vehicle.

A few minutes later Officer Adam Clerici located the vehicle parked and unoccupied at the Sausalito Towers. At the same time, Sergeant Steve Veveiros observed two people walking from the area of the apartment complex turn south on Woodward Avenue. Sergeant Veveiros and Officer Clerici made contact with the two subjects in the 600 block of Woodward. Both subjects were detained for further questioning. The subjects were identified as Michael Winchester, a 30-year-old male, out of Berkeley and Montana Afualo, a 30-year-old female, out of San Francisco.

A search of the vehicle revealed possible stolen property and mail and drug paraphernalia. The vehicle was impounded.

Winchester was arrested for petty theft, evading and resisting arrest, reckless driving and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. His was booked at the Marin County Jail. Afualo was released without charges after questioning.

The case will remain an active investigation as we attempt to link the suspects to similar crimes in the county and beyond. We would also like to thank the community member who made the phone call to alert us of the crime. Please remember – See Something, Say Something!