A combination of old-fashioned citizen involvement and technology helped the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office bust a possible burglary ring.
Investigators were able to locate three male suspects who sold stolen jewelry at an East San Jose shopping center shortly after a burglary in Cupertino. Officials said the suspects, 20-year-old Darion Steversom and his juvenile accomplices, are experienced thieves who work fast.
Investigators said the group burglarized a house on Santa Teresa Drive in San Jose on Thursday when the homeowner went on a 20-minute walk.
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Kurtis Stenderup said a citizen walking down the street saw the suspects coming out of the house and was able to get a partial license plate number of their vehicle.
"That really was key for us in breaking this case wide open," Stenderup said.
When deputies found out one of the stolen items was an iPad, they activated the "Find my iPhone" app.
It was the same way deputies tracked and found a woman who drove off a cliff on Mount Hamilton on Tuesday.
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Deputies tracked the signal for the iPad to the San Jose shopping center, but just as they arrived the device was turned off. But investigators said the partial description provided by the neighbor in Cupertino helped deputies locate the suspected vehicle and make the arrests.
"To see a sheriff's car coming up behind them, deputies pull them over, search them and find the items," Stenderup said. "I think they were in disbelief and shock that we could solve this crime so quickly."
The suspects were booked on suspicion of possession of stolen items and burglary. The sheriff's office said it believes the three are responsible for other burglaries in Santa Clara County.
