WALNUT CREEK POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Chief of Police Joel Bryden
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Friday, February 26, 2012 For Immediate Release
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WCPD Case Number: 12-6844
Date / Time Occurred: 2-25-12 at approximately 1615 hours
Location: Nordstrom, 1200 Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
Crime Description / Code: Burglary/PC 459
Forgery/PC 484F
Conspiracy/PC 182
Suspect(s): See below
Press Release Prepared By: Sergeant Cashion
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ARRESTED:
Cao, Xianglong, Asian male, 30 years old from Monterey Park, CA. Arrested for burglary, forgery and conspiracy. Booked into Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office Martinez Detention Facility on a $70,000 bail.
Bethea, Jarmar Taiwan, Black male, 29 years old from Los Angeles, CA. Arrested for burglary, forgery and conspiracy. Booked into Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office Martinez Detention Facility on a $70,000 bail.
Quinney, Joseph Velner, Black male, 34 years old from Compton, CA. Arrested for burglary, forgery and conspiracy. Booked into Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office Martinez Detention Facility on a $70,000 bail.
INVESTIGATION:
On February 25, 2012 at approximately 4:15 p.m., Walnut Creek Police Officers responded to Nordstrom, located at 1200 Broadway Plaza for a report of multiple suspects using fraudulent credit cards to purchase gift cards. The suspects had left Nordstrom prior to officer’s arrivals. Officers spotted the three subjects in a van parked in the Nordstrom parking lot and detained them. Nordstrom Loss Prevention Agents responded and identified the three suspects as the persons responsible for the frauds that had just occurred in the store. They also informed the officers that these subjects have been identified in numerous frauds at several Nordstrom’s’ throughout the state. Officers identified the subjects as Xianglong Cao, Jarmar Bethea and Joseph Quinney and they were arrested (see above). Officers searched the subjects and the van and located over $10,000 worth of fraudulently purchased gift cards and credit cards belonging to other people. Officers confirmed the suspects were all from the Los Angeles area and had committed similar crimes in other city's throughout California. The suspects were planning on heading to Portland, Oregon from Walnut Creek.
Anyone with additional information are asked to contact the Walnut Creek Police Department at (925)943-5844.
