Man Breaks into a BBQ Restaurant

SALINAS—Authorities with the Salinas Police Department arrested 18-year-old Oscar Sandoval

Oscar Sandoval

of Salinas after he was found hiding by a dumpster near the back of Salinas City Barbecue Restaurant.

On Sunday, at about 11 p.m., two Salinas Police Officers, who were on routine patrol in the south west side of Salinas, were notified that someone was trying to break into the Salinas City Barbecue Restaurant.

Officers arrived at the scene and found that the front window of the restaurant had been shattered and there was blood at the scene.  “We were notified about this incident by a concerned citizen and responded quickly.” Salinas Police Officer Miguel Cabrera said, “We did not receive an alarm activation from the business.”

An extensive search of the area around the restaurant produced Oscar Sandoval, 18, of Salinas who was hiding near a dumpster next to the loading docks next to the restaurant on Clark Street. Sandoval had blood on his forearm when police found him.  At the time of his arrest, Sandoval had in his possession property that was taken from an earlier burglary that had been reported.

Salinas City BBQ. Did Sandoval think he was burglarizing a house?

That burglary was a residential burglary and not a commercial business burglary, although the Salinas City Barbecue Restaurant is a converted house on the corner of West Market Street and Clark Street.  He may have thought it was a residence.

Officers were able to obtain video surveillance footage from the owner. The video shows Sandoval standing on the porch of the restaurant trying to break into it.

Sandoval was arrested and booked into the Monterey County Jail on charges of burglary to a business and possession of stolen property.  His bail has been set at $13,500.

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