Suspect Arrested for Multiple Commercial Burglaries

San Luis Obispo police have a man in custody who is believed to be responsible for multiple commercial burglaries.

Carmelo Colaccino

According to SLOPD, transient Carmelo Colaccino, 29, admitted to be one of the suspects involved but refuses to identify his accomplices.

Police say Ben Franklin’s Sandwiches was burglarized on Saturday around 5:42 a.m. after the suspect broke a window to gain entry into the business. The suspect stole cash from the business and left the area.

Officers say they responded to a burglary alarm activation at the business and arrived minutes later but were unable to find the suspect(s).

Police say on Sunday around 5:01 a.m. officers responded to a burglary alarm at Padre Grocery and Liquors. Police determined a burglary had occurred.

The surveillance video showed three suspects enter the business after forcing open an exterior door. The three suspects stole numerous lottery tickets, cigarette packages and a Google Tablet. The police officers were not able to find the suspects.

According to police the first suspect is described as a person of unknown race and sex, 5’6″ to 5’10”, with a thin build. The suspect was wearing a black winter hat with no bill with ear covers that hang down to near shoulder length, a hooded sweatshirt with white block letters across the chest, a bandana over the nose and mouth, long shorts that hang to mid-shin level, black calf length tube socks, black skater type shoes and black gloves.

The second suspect is described as a possible female of unknown race around 5’8″ to 5’11” with a medium or possibly heavy build. She was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled over the head, light colored bandana pulled over the nose and mouth, black gloves, jeans and black shoes. She was carrying a dark solid print backpack in front.

The third suspect is described as a white male adult in his mid 20s, around 5’7″ to 5’10” with a thin build wearing round framed reading glasses. He was wearing an oversized checkered-pattern dark hued hooded sweatshirt with a thick, light-colored inner lining and the hood pulled over the head, a baseball style hat with a flat brim, jeans, and dark colored skater type shoes.

According to SLOPD, on Sunday about 7:39 p.m. an employee of the Chevron Station at 328 Marsh Street called the police because a person in the store was refusing to leave and kept falling asleep. .

Police say when officers arrived they contacted the subject who was identified as Colaccino, who was displaying symptoms of being under the influence of drugs.

Colaccino consented to a search of his backpack and the officers found a loaded hypodermic needle that was believed to contain methamphetamine.

A further search revealed numerous unscratched lottery tickets, cash, cigarettes and a Google Tablet.

The officers arrested Colaccino for being in possession of stolen property, two counts of commercial burglary, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Colaccino also had a warrant out of Santa Cruz County. He was determined to be one of the three suspects previously mentioned.

The suspect admitted to police to burglarizing Ben Franklin’s and Padre Grocery and Liquor. He told the officers that he was not alone at Padre Grocery and Liquor but he would not identify his accomplices.

He also admitted to stealing a vehicle from Marsh Street downtown and dumping it near Chorro and Lincoln streets.

Police say the stolen vehicle was located and returned it to its owner.

Colaccino also admitted to committing a burglary in Los Osos.

Investigators will be working with the SLO Sheriff’s Department regarding that burglary. Colaccino told our officers that he has spent time in Santa Cruz, Sanger and San Luis Obispo in the past few months.

On Jan. 7  Colaccino was cited for illegal lodging after officers found him under the bridge on Santa Rosa Street between Marsh and Pacific Streets. He was booked at the county jail with bail set at $60,000.

Read More:

SLO Tribune: Man Arrested in Burglaries of Two SLO Businesses

EdHat: Arrest of Suspect for Commercial Burglaries