Full Notification

MEDIA RELEASE / COMMUNITY MESSAGE

CITY of SAN MATEO POLICE DEPARTMENT

200 Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA  94403

www.cityofsanmateo.org

On July 6^th at about 2:00 PM, three black males entered a coffee shop in the unit block of E. 3^rd Avenue.  The subjects walked up to the front counter and briefly asked about food prices.  The suspects then walked together back towards the exit door, walking in view of the interior surveillance camera.  (Please see attached images)  Each suspect then quickly approached 3 individual customers seated at separate tables who were working on their laptops.  The suspects grabbed the laptops and fled the scene eastbound on 3^rd Avenue to a waiting vehicle.  SMPD Detectives have since followed up on the case.  They’ve been unable to identify the males through available law enforcement resources and have been unable to locate the 3 stolen laptops.

SMPD Detectives are now seeking the assistance from our community in identifying the perpetrators of this crime.  Anyone with information that may help in this case is asked to please contact Detective Nick Ryan at (650)522-7670 or call the SMPD Secret Witness Line at (650)522-7676.  Anonymous online tips in this or any San Mateo Police Department investigation can be done at: http://tinyurl.com/SMPDTips

The males are described as black males, 18-22 years old, thin build with at least one of them having a moustache. They fled in a black or dark colored 4 door sedan or crossover-style vehicle.

A MESSAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY

Despite our best efforts to protect ourselves and our personal property, there is still the unfortunate possibility we may fall victim to crime or thefts such as this.  If the worst case scenario does happen, there’s a few “preemptive” steps you can take that will help should you have personal property taken from you or fall victim to a similar crime:

• Serial Numbers:  Document the serial numbers for all your electronics. This used to be common place, but is now a lost practice. GOOD NEWS! There is plenty of new smartphone apps that make documenting and storing serial numbers easier than ever.  Take the time to do it.  If not, if and when your stolen property is located by law enforcement there is almost NO WAY to trace it back to you.
• Password Protection:  Password protect ANY device that contains personal information! A lost laptop can be replaced, but a stolen identity can take years to repair.
• Limit Your Exposure.  We understand electronics and mobile devices are part of our daily lives, but remember when you use them out in public view, they can draw the envy of the wrong person.  Would you ever stand on a crowded commuter train counting out $300 in cash? Taking out your cell phone is not much different.  Just be cautious and always…
• Be Aware of Your Surroundings:  Trust your instincts. If someone or something seems suspicious, they usually are.  Stay alert and report all suspicious activity immediately.

RAPID NOTIFY REGISTRATION

The San Mateo Police Department invites our community to stay connected to your police department using a variety of resources and social media, including Twitter, Nixle, and NextDoor which are used for community messaging, press releases, and even critical alerts.  One of the most reliable ways we have to notify our neighbors of a critical incident in their area is the Rapid Notify system, whereby residents receive a recorded message from a San Mateo Police Officer providing them critical details of any rapidly evolving event in their neighborhood.  This system maintains a bank of landline numbers for residents based on both utility and public records.  To ensure your home phone line is included in this system, or if you wish to add you or your loved ones’ cell phones to the system, please follow the link below and click on the “Sign Up for Rapid Notify” button on the right of the page.

http://www.cityofsanmateo.org/index.aspx?nid=273