The San José Police Department has apprehended two suspects, Jaime Flores, 46, and Thomas Sapinoso, 37, both residents of San Jose. The investigation, spearheaded by the SJPD Financial Crimes Unit Detectives, spanned from July 2023 to January 2024, uncovering over 70 retail thefts amounting to a staggering loss exceeding $75,000.
The suspects targeted various retail establishments, including Target, NIKE, REI, Best Buy, and Dick’s Sporting Goods, police said. Employing a systematic approach, they swiftly entered businesses, seized merchandise worth thousands of dollars, and fled in a waiting vehicle, police added.
Jaime Flores was arrested on December 16, 2023, immediately after a grand theft incident at Westgate Mall. He was taken into custody and booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail. Subsequently, on January 31, 2024, Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Thomas Sapinoso. Sapinoso was already in custody at the Santa Clara County Main Jail for an unrelated incident, ensuring a swift resolution to his involvement in the organized retail thefts.