MEDIA RELEASE / COMMUNITY ALERT
For Immediate Release No. 20230329-020
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Stolen Vehicle Arrest Yields Unrelated DUI Arrest
San Mateo, CA - On Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at approximately 1:30 a.m., SMPD officers were alerted to a stolen vehicle in the area of East Poplar Avenue and North Amphlett Boulevard. Officers canvassed the area but were unable to locate the vehicle. Officers learned the vehicle traveled southbound on US 101 from Poplar Avenue and located the suspect vehicle on US 101 near Holly Road.
SMPD officers initiated an enforcement stop of the vehicle, but the vehicle refused to yield. A pursuit of the vehicle ensued as it continued traveling southbound on 101. The suspect vehicle finally came to a stop on the right shoulder of US 101 near University Drive.
With assistance from the Menlo Park Police Department, officers ordered the four occupants out of the vehicle. All four were safely detained. During the detention, SMPD officers contacted the driver of another vehicle stopped during a traffic break on US 101. The driver fell asleep at the wheel of his vehicle. He was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
After SMPD officers finished their investigation, they arrested the driver of the suspect vehicle, who was later identified as Jefferson Hernandez. Officers transported and booked Hernandez into San Mateo County Jail for possession of a stolen vehicle, reckless evading, and hit and run.
As the San Mateo Police Department continues to address vehicle theft, we have some helpful tips on how to protect your car from theft.
Protect Your Ride
There are numerous antitheft systems and devices designed to make vehicles more difficult to steal or easier to trace and recover. Here are how some of them work:
- Audible and Visible Devices: These devices, such as a horn alarm, deter theft by bringing attention to an unauthorized attempt to steal or enter a vehicle. Visible devices create a visual threat/warning/deterrence, such as the use of steering-wheel locks, as well as theft-deterrent decals, flashing lights, and window etching.
- Immobilizing-Type Devices: These prevent thieves from bypassing a vehicle’s ignition system and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some incorporate computer chips in ignition keys or disable the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine.
- Vehicle Recovery Systems: These devices use electronic transmission technology that help law enforcement reveal the location of stolen vehicles—and possibly catch the thief in the act.
Helpful tips when parking and exiting your vehicle:
- Take your vehicle's key; do not leave it in or on your vehicle.
- Close and lock all windows and doors when you park.
- Park in well-lit areas if possible and within view of a security camera.
- Never leave valuables in your vehicle, especially if they can be seen from outside the vehicle.
Thieves want vehicle parts and valuable items, too:
Thieves want whatever sells, from the mandated labeled parts to those that aren't. Some of the most popular vehicle parts or valuable items stolen from vehicles include doors, lift gates, engines, transmissions, catalytic converters, air bags, radios, GPS units, cell phones, iPads, laptops, and purses.
For additional tips, please visit: https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/vehicle-theft-prevention.
ARRESTED
Jefferson Hernandez, a 20-year-old San Francisco resident
Charges: Possession of a stolen vehicle (496(d) PC), reckless evading (2800.2(A) CVC), and hit and run (20002(a) CVC)
MEDIA CONTACT
Alison Gilmore
Public Information Officer | Support Services
City of San Mateo Police Department
200 Franklin Pkwy, San Mateo, CA 94403
650-522-7626 |
[email protected]
