SAN JOSE – On Saturday, March 21, the San Jose Police responded to a possible burglary call to 1480 West San Carlos Street. However, upon arrival it was soon discovered that the male suspect had fled the scene. It was suspected that the man had entered the Public Auto Wholesale car lot with the intent to commit theft.
The reporting party who originally called police said that they had seen the suspect jump the fence into the auto yard and check vehicles to see if their doors were open.
21-year-old Matthew Philipe Paz Jr. was located several blocks away from the scene after 9-1-1 dispatchers received another call, placing Paz at that location. When SJPD officers arrived, they quickly reacted to locate Paz, who was fighting with several people who had pulled him from one of their neighbor’s cars. He was taken into custody.
The glove box handle had been broken by the suspect when he was found rummaging through the car looking for items to steal. With vigilant neighbors able to identify the possible burglar, according to Officer Albert Morales, “Officers immediately responded as one suspect was arrested in the driveway of a nearby home.” Morales said “The suspect was booked into the County Jail.” The suspect had tried to bite the two men holding him down, but there were no injuries to be reported. Several apparently stolen items were located in the suspect’s backpack and on his person, but the victim thought that he had only taken his DMV papers. The other items were believed to have been taken from other vehicles at the time.
Paz was charged with three counts of second degree burglary under PC 459-460(b). Paz is also facing three counts of petty theft of personal property under PC 484-488, and a misdemeanor tampering with a vehicle under VC 10852.
Matthew Paz is interviewed on ABC 7 News on March 1 following a fatal accident in San Jose, which killed one of his friends.
Paz is no stranger to law enforcement. He also has prior allegations and was out on bail for a September arrest under PC 487, grand theft, with charges filed in the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Once Paz was arrested again, the bail bonds agent submitted a motion to have his bail revoked after new charges were filed. According to police records, Paz was also arrested on February 15 for theft, petty theft, and possession of stolen property. On December 9 he was arrested by Campbell Police for possessing marijuana and toluene, a dangerous solvent sometimes abused as an inhalant.
He was also charged in September for petty theft, and twice before, in July and March, for possessing Toluene. He was also arrested on December 26, 2013 for petty theft.
Paz was interviewed just a month ago by ABC 7 News following a fatal accident that killed a friend of his. A wreck on February 28 near Rite Aid in San Jose, at Hillside and Meridian, was blamed on racing and alcohol. The victim, 14-year-old Vladimir Vargas, was a passenger, two others were also injured in the wreck, and the two drivers fled the scene. The driver of one of the cars, a 16-year-old boy, later turned himself in, and the investigation is ongoing.
Matthew Paz’s next court date on the burglary charges has been scheduled for April 13, 2015 at 9:00 AM in Dept 33 in front of the Honorable Allison M. Danner.
Jimenez was caught in this neighborhood on Timberview Drive.
Another recent burglary arrest in the area was reported on Wednesday, March 25, when 20-year-old Omar Jimenez was charged with PC 459-460(a), a felony in which the suspect entered a home located on the 6500 block of Timberview Drive, in San Jose. But that was not the only house that Jimenez tried to enter that day. Another home located on the 6500 block of Bose Ave was also targeted by Jimenez. He was in the back yard of the home when the homeowner saw him peering through the back patio glass door. After seeing the homeowner Jimenez fled.
The homeowner called to report the suspect. Police responding to the area were able to get a description of a dark colored Green Honda, which was then located near Timberview Drive. It appeared that Jimenez had just fled after he had successfully burglarized a home close by. Police soon learned that the car had been stolen, but the owner did not know that their car was missing.
A witness near the scene screamed to officers, “He running that way!” The suspect was seen running through multiple yards to try and get away. A perimeter check was set up throughout the area. Police went home to home, eventually finding the suspect in a motor home parked in a driveway. Jimenez was taken into custody without further incident. When officers located the suspect they also found a handgun near him in the RV.
The female victim of the home burglary, after viewing the suspect in the back seat of the police cruiser said, “It looks just like him.” She said, “Yes, I think it’s him.”
Like Paz, Jimenez – also known as Omar Rosales-Jimenez – had a history of recent arrests. On September 10, 2014, Milpitas Police reported arresting him for auto theft, and possession of burglar’s tools, stolen property, and a narcotic controlled substance. He was driving a 2008 Volvo X90 and backed into a parked vehicle. The Volvo turned out to be stolen, and there was property in the car from a Los Gatos residential burglary.
Prior to that, on August 15, he was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and a probation violation. And on June 19, he was arrested for stealing a vehicle and violating probation.
His next court date is scheduled for April 15, 2015 in Dept 34 at 1:30 PM in front of the Honorable Allison M. Danner.
CrimeVoice staff contributed to this report
