SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Police Department have arrested three people in connection with a string of Taraval neighborhood burglaries.

The most recent burglary occurred on Wednesday, March 1 at around 11:30 a.m. on the 600 block of Sloat Boulevard, police reported. The victim woke up to find a suspect entering his bedroom.

The suspect slammed the bedroom door and the resident looked out his bedroom window to see that the suspect was climbing out of the kitchen window and into the yard.

At about that time, a resident heard noise coming from a neighbor’s house and saw a man tumbling out of the neighbor’s window into the back yard. That suspect stood up and ran towards Sigmund Stern Grove Park, yelling, ‘Run, run, run!’” authorities indicated in a press release.

Alexis Mancia. Photo courtesy of the SFPD.
Alexis Mancia. Photo courtesy of the SFPD.

Officers searched the nearby park for the suspects. During their search, two men were found near the dog park that matched the description of the suspects. Both individuals were breathing heavily as if they had been running. Officers detained the suspects who were identified as 21-year-old Alexis Mancia and 41-year-old Rene Garcia, both of San Francisco. They were booked for burglary in the first degree, conspiracy, and possession of burglary tools.

On February 26 at around 9:40 p.m., officers were surveying the 2200 block of 37th Avenue looking for suspects involved in a recent burglary.

They briefly lost sight of the subject until he emerged from the tunnel entry of another home on the 2300 block of 37th Avenue. The subject, who was not carrying anything [at first], was now carrying a bag from which several objects were protruding, officers reported. Officers were aware of prior burglaries in the area were conducted via tunnel entries. Believing that he had just witnessed a residential burglary, the surveilling officer alerted the other members of the team to move in and make an arrest.

One officer went up to the suspect as he turned the corner onto 38th Avenue from Taraval. The suspect resisted arrest, but was later taken into custody.

Joseph Depaoli. Photo courtesy of the SFPD.
Joseph Depaoli. Photo courtesy of the SFPD.

Authorities conducted an investigation and saw signs of forced entry at the victim’s residence on the 2300 block of 37th Avenue. They conducted interviews with residents and collected evidence. Officers determined that the subject was on probation with a search condition. They responded to his home, which was in the garage of the first building that an officer saw him enter on the 2200 block of 37th Avenue. During a probation search, the officers recovered several items of evidence.

Joseph Depaoli, 40, was booked into the Taraval Police Station for burglary, resisting arrest, and a probation violation.

“The officers involved in these incidents are to be commended for their quick actions in locating and identifying the suspects and for their diligent pursuit of these investigations,” Police Chief William Scott said. “Working together they have arrested three suspects suspected of burglarizing homes in the Taraval District.”

While arrests have been made in these incidents, they remain open investigations. Anyone with information on these burglaries is asked to call the SFPD 24 hour Tip Line at (415) 575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.

Written By Deanna Morgado and Casey Jacobs