2 Palo Alto Bloomingdale’s Burglary Suspects Remain At Large

PALO ALTO - Detectives in Palo Alto say they have in large part solved a 2015 burglary case in which a team of thieves drove a stolen SUV through the front glass doors of Bloomingdale’s at the Stanford Shopping Center just before dawn and stole a large amount of jewelry.

According to Palo Alto police, two arrests have been made in the case. Police continue to search for two additional suspects, and are asking for the public's help.

Arrests

Authorities say Bobby Donald Burke, a 34-year-old man from Antioch, was arrested on September 2, 2015. He was already in the Contra Costa County Main Jail on an unrelated offense.

Detectives say they obtained a search warrant for Burke's residence in the 400 block of Grangnelli Avenue of Antioch, and on July 15, 2015, searched his home and recovered a watch that had been stolen during the Bloomingdale’s burglary, which led to his arrest.

In October, 2015, at a Hayward home in the 200 block of Culp Avenue, Palo Alto detectives say they recovered a bracelet stolen during the Bloomingdale’s burglary, which led them to a father and son, James and Joseph Sandoval.

On January 27, 2016, detectives say they arrested 49-year-old James Edward Sandoval of Hayward at Alameda County’s Santa Rita Jail when he was released for unrelated charges, and booked him into the Santa Clara County Main Jail pursuant to an arrest warrant.

Police consider his son, 30-year-old Joseph Daniel Sandoval of Hayward, the third suspect.

Police say Joseph Sandoval now has a felony warrant for his arrest. Sandoval is currently at large, according to Palo Alto police.

Police are now asking for the public’s help to locate him.

Joseph Daniel Sandoval's image is prominently displayed in the center of the attached photograph.

Palo Alto detectives believe that a fourth female suspect also participated in the burglary, and say they are continuing to further investigate the case in an attempt to identify her.

The Case

On Wednesday, May 13, 2015, at about 4:14 a.m., the Palo Alto 24-hour dispatch center was notified of a burglary that had occurred just after 4:00 a.m. at Bloomingdale’s on 180 El Camino Real in the Stanford Shopping Center.

Police say surveillance video showed that the suspects had driven a stolen SUV through the front glass doors to make entry before three suspects ran inside, smashed several glass jewelry display cases, and took a "large quantity of jewelry."

A Palo Alto police officer later located the SUV, which police say had been reported stolen the day before, in the 200 block of Palo Alto Avenue.

According to authorities, the value of the stolen jewelry exceeded $125,000, and the estimated damage to the front doors of Bloomingdale’s and destroyed jewelry cases exceeded $55,000.

The Charges

Bobby Donald Burke was charged with commercial burglary, grand theft, vandalism, possession of stolen property, and vehicle theft, all felonies.

James and Joseph Sandoval are also charged with commercial burglary, grand theft, and vandalism.

Anyone with information about this incident, or Joseph Sandoval’s current whereabouts, is asked to call the Palo Alto police 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413.

Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the free mobile app, downloadable at bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.

-images via Palo Alto police