Morgan Hill Police Officers recovered a cache of stolen
property, including softball equipment they believe was stolen from
the Live Oak High softball team, after searching a home at 16645
Del Monte Avenue on Tuesday.
Morgan Hill Police Officers recovered a cache of stolen property, including softball equipment they believe was stolen from the Live Oak High softball team, after searching a home at 16645 Del Monte Avenue on Tuesday.
The resident of the house, John B. Kitlas, 44, of Morgan Hill, was not at home when officers served the search warrant. Kitlas is considered a suspect in at least five local burglaries and one burglary in Santa Clara, said MHPD Lt. Joe Sampson. Kitlas was not home when police searched the house and officers have been unable to talk to him.
The property recovered at the Del Monte residence corresponded with property reported stolen in the burglaries.
Included in the property officers found were construction tools, painting equipment, power saws and granite and marble stone slabs police believe came from Turlock and Berkeley.
“We are always pleased to recover property,” Sampson said Friday. “And these are expensive items – power washers, tools used to cut granite and marble.”
Officers also found softball equipment at the residence. They believe it could be property that was stolen recently from the Community Park and from a sports shed at Live Oak High School.
“There were two recent burglaries at the school’s sports sheds, and we noticed the equipment said ‘Live Oak softball,’ so we believed the equipment came from those burglaries as well as the Community Park burglary, but we’re still putting the pieces together,” Sampson said.
The investigation continues as officers are attempting to contact as many of the victims as possible. Sampson said officers also want to talk to Kitlas about the property and his possible involvement in the burglaries.
As of Friday afternoon, Sampson said, Kitlas had not been located. He is believed to be on vacation in Florida.
The officers were able to enter the unoccupied residence through unlocked doors, Sampson said.
“The nature of the search warrant allowed officers to make entry through an open back yard door and an open garage door,” he said.
The search warrant was obtained after the department received a tip from someone who knows Kitlas, Sampson added.
He could face charges of burglary and possession of stolen property, punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000 and up to three years in jail.
Anyone with information about the burglaries is asked to contact the police department at 779-2101. Anyone who has been the victim of a burglary involving any of the items mentioned is asked to contact MHPD Det. Gary Cupps at 408-776-7323 during the hours of 8am-5pm Monday through Friday.
