San Jose police have arrested two men, both of San Jose, and charged them with felony grand theft in connection with a massive six-month shoplifting spree that yielded over $75,000 in stolen goods from various local retail stores.
From July 2023 to January 2024, San José Police Department Financial Crimes Unit Detectives began investigating over 70 retail thefts that occurred in the city of San José. During this investigation, Detectives discovered that the suspects committed theft in various retail stores, including Target, NIKE, REI, Best Buy, and Dicks Sporting Goods. The suspects entered the businesses, took thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, then fled in an awaiting vehicle.
Detectives identified Jaime Flores, 46, and Thomas Sapinoso, 37, as the responsible suspects and both are in custody in the Santa Clara County Main Jail. On Dec. 16, Flores was arrested immediately following a grand theft at Westgate Mall. On Jan. 31, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Sapinoso, who was already in custody following an arrest by Sunnyvale police for an unrelated incident.
This investigation was led by the city’s Organized Retail Theft Detail funded by an $8.4 million grant from the California Board of State and Community Corrections.
“From the beginning, the Organized Retail Theft Detail has been proactive, persistent, and dedicated to combating organized retail theft in San José,” Police Chief Anthony Mata said in a statement. “This is just the first example of [the detail’s] great work and their positive impact in our city.”
“Our police department is working hard to make sure our business owners and shoppers are safe, and that those who are committing crimes are held accountable,” said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. “The additional resources provided by the Retail Theft Grant are starting to show results — but it’ll take more than one grant to get to the root of the problem. State-level reform is necessary to create lasting change.”
Anyone with information about these cases or similar cases is asked to contact Detective Beretta #3677 and/or Forensic Analyst Moody #1617N with the SJPD Organized Retail Theft Detail: [email protected] and/or [email protected], or by calling 408-277-4521.
