Full Notification

MEDIA RELEASE / COMMUNITY ALERT
For Immediate Release No. 20220113-001
Thursday, January 13, 2022

ALERT WITNESS LEADS SMPD TO ARREST TWO FOR CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT

San Mateo, CA – On Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 8:15pm, officers were dispatched to a theft of a catalytic converter on the 700 block of S. Claremont St. An alert witness heard the sound of a saw outside his business and witnessed a subject removing a catalytic converter, while another subject remained in a vehicle, a dark colored Honda. Once removed, the vehicle and occupants drove southbound on S. Claremont St. The witness was able to provide a description of the suspect vehicle and two occupants to officers. An SMPD officer immediately located the vehicle traveling southbound on S. B St. and conducted a high-risk traffic stop as the car yielded on 11^th Ave. at S. B St. Both driver (identified as Jose Guerrero Ramirez) and passenger (identified as Samuel Gonzalez) were safely removed from the vehicle. An in-field line-up was conducted, and both were positively identified.

During a search of the vehicle, two catalytic converters were located, along with two Sawzall’s, additional saw blades, a car jack, drug paraphernalia, and suspected methamphetamine. Due to COVID-19 protocols, both subjects were not booked into San Mateo County Jail and were instead issued citations to appear.
 
Catalytic converter theft continues to be prevalent due to the value of precious metals. It can be costly to replace, so there are things the public can do to prevent their theft. If you own a target vehicle (hybrids or trucks/SUV’s) etch your license plate or VIN number onto the converter. While it can’t be reattached if found, we can at least locate victims, which helps when charging criminals. Install an anti-theft plate. Park in well-lit areas and be a part of a Neighborhood Watch Program. In this case, these suspects were arrested because a witness knew what was unusual for his area at a specific time of the day, paid attention, and provided the police what we needed to affect an arrest. That’s the goal of Neighborhood Watch. Know your neighbors, pay attention to what’s normal for your area, look out for each other, and Be A Good Witness. Lastly, install security cameras. For more information on the city of San Mateo Neighborhood Watch Program and Security Camera Registration System, visit https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/675/Neighborhood-Watch-Program and https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/2726/Security-Camera-Registration.
 
ARRESTED / CHARGES:
Samuel Gonzalez, age 33, San Pablo, CA. 
487(a) PC - Grand Theft, 496(a) PC - Possessions of Stolen Property, 182(a)(1) PC – Conspiracy, and 11377 H&S – Possession of Methamphetamine
 
Jose Guerrero Ramirez, age 33, San Pablo, CA.
487(a) PC - Grand Theft, 496(a) PC - Possessions of Stolen Property, 182(a)(1) PC - Conspiracy
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