Authorities have apprehended a group of teenage burglars suspected of committing a string of nearly 80 break-ins throughout the Bay Area. This crime wave, unraveled by investigators, involved not only the theft of firearms but also high-speed chases and a lucrative fencing operation, which reportedly brought in around $250,000 worth of stolen goods.
In an effort to highlight the investigative success, Concord police released a compilation of surveillance footage titled “Teamwork Leads to Arrests in Regional Armed Burglary Series.”
The released video footage catches the suspects in the act, breaking into parked vehicles under the cover of early morning darkness. They then used stolen garage door openers to gain entry into garages, where a trove of power tools, firearms, and various valuables awaited.
In a chilling detail, one piece of surveillance video from the Concord police captures an armed suspect aiming a gun towards a home’s inner door as part of the ongoing investigation. (Concord Police Department)
Among the most audacious acts caught on film, the suspects are seen brandishing a firearm at a door linking a garage to a home, apparently ready to confront a resident. In a separate break-in, the group is accused of stealing an alarming 14 firearms from a single home’s garage.
By the time the investigation wrapped up, detectives had linked the suspects to 37 vehicle and residential burglaries in Concord and approximately 40 more across Contra Costa and Solano counties. Police said the group also stole multiple vehicles, which they allegedly used to commit additional crimes.
The suspects repeatedly slipped away from officers as the burglary spree unfolded.
In May, an officer spotted a possible suspect vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver allegedly sped away. Police launched a pursuit before calling it off over public safety concerns.
Two burglary suspects break into a parked pickup truck before allegedly using a stolen garage door opener to access nearby homes in California. (Concord Police Department)
During another string of burglaries in June, officers located a different suspect vehicle, but the suspects again escaped.
Later that month, the juveniles allegedly fled another burglary, crashed a vehicle and ran from the scene on foot. They evaded capture once again, though officers recovered a firearm.
The break in the case came in late June, when Concord detectives working with the Richmond Police Department identified four juveniles believed to be behind the burglary spree.
One suspect was already being held in juvenile hall in connection with an unrelated case. Investigators then obtained arrest and search warrants for the remaining three.
Police said the suspects targeted parked vehicles before using stolen garage door openers to enter residential garages. (Concord Police Department)
In July, the Concord Police Department SWAT Team executed simultaneous warrants with assistance from the Antioch Police Department, Pittsburg Police Department, Central County SWAT and the U.S. Marshals Service.
All three outstanding suspects were arrested.
Searches of their residences led to the recovery of two firearms stolen during the burglaries, police said. A third stolen firearm had previously been recovered by the Richmond Police Department during a separate investigation.
As detectives dug deeper, they uncovered what prosecutors describe as an organized fencing operation.
Surveillance video released by Concord police shows a masked burglary suspect during a string of home and vehicle break-ins across the Bay Area. (Concord Police Department)
Investigators identified 37-year-old Wuillian Cordova-Cubias of Oakland as the alleged buyer of stolen property, accusing him of purchasing power tools from the juvenile suspects, often shortly after the burglaries occurred.
On Aug. 5, detectives with the Concord Police Department, Oakland Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service executed a search warrant at Cordova-Cubias’ Oakland home.
Police said the search uncovered what investigators believe was the hub of a regional fencing operation. Inside, detectives found at least 500 suspected stolen power tools, along with a stolen ATV, a stolen forklift, an unregistered firearm and numerous other high-value items. Authorities estimated the recovered property was worth approximately $250,000.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office charged Cordova-Cubias with receiving stolen property, two counts of receiving stolen motor vehicles, unlawful firearm activity and conspiracy with juvenile co-conspirators. Prosecutors also filed sentencing enhancements that could increase any potential penalties if he is convicted.
Exterior of the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office in Martinez, California, where charges were filed in the burglary investigation. (Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office)
“As organized theft offenses have increased, my office has responded by building an effective Organized Theft Unit that works closely with law enforcement to file strong cases we believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt in court,” Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. “Concord Police Department’s thorough investigation into these burglaries and the fencing operation reflects the kind of collaboration that holds individuals accountable.”
Cordova-Cubias remains in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility and is scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon in Contra Costa County Superior Court.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office also filed complaints against the three juvenile suspects. Their identities have not been released under California law.