3 suspects arrested in SLO after breaking into cars, stealing credit card, police say
San Luis Obispo police on Tuesday took three suspected car burglars into custody after investigating vehicle break-ins around the city.
Officers arrested David Jimenez, 33, and Christopher Padilla, 36, both of Fresno, and Jasmine Hernandez, 24, of Orange Cove after responding to two car burglaries, according to a San Luis Obispo Police Department news release.
Police learned of the first break-in on Tuesday morning, when officers responded to a report of a vehicle burglary that had taken place at the Rose Garden Inn between Monday night and Tuesday morning.
The suspects and their vehicle were captured on surveillance video breaking the window of the victim’s car, the release said.
Later Tuesday morning, police responded to a second car burglary report at the Cerro San Luis trailhead parking lot near Marsh Street and Fernandez Lane, according to the release.
The burglars had stolen the victim’s purse, and a credit card was used at a local retail business immediately following the theft, the release said.
Police reportedly used information from the Rose Garden Inn surveillance video to begin searching for the suspects’ vehicle. Officers located the car a short time later in Pismo Beach in the 800 block of North Fourth Street, the release said.
According to police, officers found Padilla sitting in the suspects’ vehicle, and located Jimenez and Hernandez nearby. Padilla and Jimenez were allegedly wearing the same clothing as the suspects in the surveillance camera video.
Police also allegedly found evidence from both burglaries and the credit card fraud with the suspects, the release said.
Officers arrested Jimenez on suspicion of burglary and a parole violation, Padilla on suspicion of burglary and Hernandez on suspicion of an unrelated parole warrant.
The suspects were booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Jimenez was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, and Hernandez was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail. Padilla was no longer in jail, as of 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to the county jail website.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be recommended, the release said.
Anyone with information about this crime is encouraged to call the San Luis Obispo Police Department at 805-781-7312 or Crime Stoppers at 805-549-7867.
