March 7, 2005

Auto theft investigations net eight arrests

Del Mar High School students among those arrested

Two related auto theft investigations initiated by the Campbell and San Jose Police Departments have resulted in charges against eight suspects and the recovery of (21) stolen vehicles. A ninth suspect is being sought.

The first investigation began on Jan. 14 when a San Jose police officer checked the license plate of a Saturn sedan parked near Del Mar High School. The officer learned that the Saturn was stolen. This was the fourth stolen Saturn that the officer had located near the school. The officer arrested three students, ages 14, 14 and 16 years when they returned to the vehicle at the end of the school day. Following leads from these arrests, the officer recovered three additional Saturns and a Honda coupe.

A second related investigation began on the evening of Jan. 20 when a Campbell police officer observed a 1993 Saturn being driven erratically on Hamilton near Bascom Avenue. The occupants abandoned the car and fled on foot.

Officers determined that the Saturn had recently been stolen from Forest Avenue in San Jose. While searching the area for the two occupants of the 1993 Saturn, officers located and arrested two other subjects, 15 and 16 years-of-age, who had just fled from a 1991 Honda Civic stolen earlier from the Valley Fair Shopping Center.

Officers learned that several other vehicles had been stolen from the Valley Fair and Santana Row shopping centers on this same evening. As a result of a search for these vehicles, Campbell police officers recovered a 1994 Saturn, two 1992 Saturns, and a 1992 Acura in the area of Winchester Boulevard and David Avenue in San Jose. These vehicles were unoccupied.

Information on the Jan. 20 arrests was provided to the Santa Clara County Regional Auto Theft Task Force. That investigation led to the recovery of four additional vehicles, all Hondas and Saturns.

On the evening of Feb. 2, four vehicles were stolen from the Campbell Community Center at Campbell Avenue and Winchester Boulevard. These included 1990 and 1993 Honda Accords and 1993 and 1994 Saturns.

Information gathered from the recovery of these stolen vehicles implicated several Del Mar High School students and a loose association of other subjects. On Feb.4, in the process of seeking these subjects, an officer recovered two additional Honda Accords. These were among 11 vehicles stolen in San Ramon and Dublin on the evening of Feb. 1.

Subjects arrested and charges filed include:
- Hirman Cortez, 18 years, resident of Milpitas, Auto Theft (14 counts), Burglary, Conspiracy (2 counts)
- Juvenile, 16 years, resident of San Jose, Auto Theft (14 counts), Burglary, Conspiracy (2 counts)
- Juvenile, 16 years, resident of San Jose, Auto Theft
- Juvenile, 15 years, resident of San Jose, Auto Theft (4 counts), Conspiracy
- 2 juveniles, 15 years, residents of San Jose, Auto Theft
- 2 Juveniles, 14 years, residents of San Jose, Auto Theft
- Rogelio Sanchez, 22 years, a resident of San Jose, is presently being sought for Auto Theft.

Investigators believe that these subjects have been involved in the theft of as many as 50 vehicles in the Bay Area over the past five months. The target of these thefts has been early- to mid- 1990s Honda and Saturn automobiles.

In some instances, vehicles were stolen for the purpose of taking property observed inside of these vehicles.

The Campbell Police Department urges citizens to avoid leaving valuable property in plain view inside of their vehicles. Items such as laptop computers, personal digital assistants, briefcases, purses, wallets and duffel bags are attractive targets for thieves.

Campbell resident, former football coach, arrested for lewd acts with a child

On February 15, 2005, Campbell Police Officers opened an investigation into allegations of a child molestation that had occurred in 1999. The juvenile victim told police officers that she was touched on two separate occasions by an adult she had known for sometime.

The Suspect, Theodore Paul De La Rosa, 35 was arrested for Lewd Acts with a Child under the age of 14 and booked in the Santa Clara County Jail. De La Rosa’s bail has been sei at $30,000.00.

Campbell Police have learned that De La Rosa has been a boy’s football coach in the area. The victim in this case was not acquainted with De La Rosa as a result of his coaching position.

Since the offense involved a juvenile victim and De La Rosa was active in youth-oriented events the Campbell Police Department is alerting the public and requests anyone with information involving De La Rosa to call Detective Martin Rivera of the Campbell Police Department at (408) 866-2708.

Campbell man back in custody for sex offenses
On March 2, 2005, Homestead High Choir Teacher, Brett Michael Bartlett (right), 06/01/1979, of Campbell, was re-arrested on four additional charges which were added to charges filed last month. The new charges are for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor 16 yrs or younger and the perpetrator is over 21 yrs old, oral copulation, unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor three years younger than the perpetrator which are all felonies and possession of material involving sexual conduct with a minor which is a misdemeanor . He is currently housed at the Main Jail.

This case is still under investigation and Detectives urge any other persons who feel they were victimized by Suspect Bartlett or knows of any other victims is urged to contact Sgt. Carlos Dona at (408) 808-4510 or if you wish to remain anonymous, contact our Tip Line at (408) 808-4431.