With the assistance of some observant residents in the neighborhood surrounding Morgan Hill Library, the Morgan Hill Police Department was able to put a stop to a recent three-week string of increased residential burglaries.
Steven Gifford, 26, of Los Banos; Thomas Sanfilippo, 22, of Gustine; and Jacob Kaiser, 27; of Santa Nella were arrested and face a multitude of charges stemming from the home break-ins.
“This case would not have been solved and property recovered as quickly as it was without the assistance and willingness of our community to get involved and report suspicious activity,” states the MHPD press release sent out today.
The police were immediately notified by “astute neighbors” who “observed a suspicious vehicle parked near one of the burglaries as it was occurring, according to the release. The residents obtained a description of the vehicle and its male occupant, considered to be the “lookout.”
Two days later, an officer on patrol in the western part of town by the library recognized the vehicle from the witness description. The vehicle was located near a West Main Avenue residence. The officer contacted three individuals who were thought to be its occupants.
In a subsequent search, officers discovered numerous pieces of jewelry, methamphetamine, burglary tools and a handgun reported as “lost” out of Los Banos. The three suspects were then arrested and transported to MHPD for booking. The investigation is ongoing.
After much of the jewelry was identified as stolen from at least two of the previously reported burglaries in the immediate area, the trio of Merced County residents were brought up on charges.
Gifford faces charges of possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine and for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Sanfilippo and Kaiser were charged with possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine and possession of burglary tools. All three were booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail.
Police, carrying out search warrants at the West Main Avenue house as well as residences in Santa Nella, Los Banos and Gustine, found additional stolen property. Other serialized stolen property linked the suspects to a previously reported burglary in Santa Nella.
“MHPD, together with our community were able to quickly and efficiently take these three burglary suspects off of the street and hold them accountable for the trouble they have caused in our community,” the same MHPD release states.
