Suspects in multiple Bay Area residential burglaries arrested during Union City heist
Four alleged members of a sophisticated burglary crew that targeted homes in multiple Bay Area cities have been arrested after an investigation involving several law enforcement agencies.
San Jose police said that on Dec. 29, 2023, detectives began investigating a series of home invasions and residential burglaries in the city. After consulting with other Bay Area police agencies, it was determined the same suspects were connected to residential burglaries in other cities including San Bruno, Fremont, Milpitas, and Union City.
Police said during the burglaries and home invasion robberies, the suspects took jewelry and high-end watches, purses, large amounts of cash, and several firearms. In addition, the suspects used a WiFi jamming device to disrupt home security camera signals.
San Jose police robbery detectives along with the Fremont police detectives, identified the suspects as Oakland residents Dejaun Mabon, 35; Maurice Barrow, 38; Shawn Wyatt, 35; and Lawrence Barton, 37.
On Jan. 23, Fremont police detectives along with the San José Police Department's Air Support Unit apprehended all four suspects in Union City during an in-progress residential burglary. Search warrants were served at five different residences and detectives recovered more than $100,000 in cash and stolen property, as well as several handguns and a high-capacity rifle, police said.
All four suspects were booked into Alameda County Jail and pending their transfer to the Santa Clara County Main Jail on charges of home invasion and residential burglary.
On Thursday, a police spokesperson said the use of WiFi jamming devices by burglars was something not often seen.
"I wouldn't say it's common. It's not something we hear about every day. The purchase, use and sale of these WiFi jammers is actually federally illegal," said San Jose police spokesperson Stacie Shih. "Technology, as it begins to change, it becomes advanced and criminals do too, right? They get with the times and that's what we keep an eye out for it."
The devices used by the burglars disrupt the WiFi connection between the security cameras and the home's internet router. Wired cameras are not affected by such devices, Shih said.
Police believe the suspects may have been involved in other home burglaries in the Bay Area. Anyone with information about these cases or similar cases is asked to contact Detective Mendoza #4395 and/or Detective Hernandez #4392 of the San José Police Robbery Unit via email: 4395@sanjoseca.gov/4392@sanjoseca.gov or 408-277-4166.