Joseph Nolan Hopkins and Breanna Maree Hopkins
PALO ALTO — The Palo Alto Police Department has announced the arrest of two suspects wanted in connection with multiple residential burglaries throughout the Palo Alto area.
During a routine patrol near Gilroy, the California Highway Patrol pulled over a vehicle in which the officer located stolen property belonging to one of the residential victims.
According to police, “On Sunday, March 12, 2017, at about 10:44 PM, our 24-hour dispatch center received a call of a residential burglary that had just been discovered at a home in the 600 block of Fulton Street.”
The elderly residents reported that they had returned home to find that their home had been burglarized.
The investigation revealed that the suspect had gained access to a side yard via an unlocked gate, and then entered the home by forcing open a window that had been left ajar.
Once inside, the suspect stole jewelry, a checkbook, credit cards, cash, and miscellaneous personal property.
At about 2:00 AM on Monday, March 13, 2017, an officer from the California Highway Patrol stopped a black 2001 BMW 535i four-door sedan for a vehicle code violation in Gilroy being driven by 29-year-old Joseph Nolan Hopkins of Costa Mesa. His wife, 28-year-old Breanna Maree Hopkins, was a passenger in the car.
The male suspect originally gave a false name that brought suspicion to the pair. The CHP officer located the victims’ checkbook inside the car and notified the Palo Alto Police Department. They also found both suspects to be in possession of burglary tools believed to be used in the entry of the home.
The CHP officer booked both suspects into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for felony possession of stolen property and misdemeanor possession of burglary tools. Hopkins was also booked for providing false information to police.
After being notified of the evidence, Palo Alto Police Department detectives went to the main jail to conduct interviews and follow-up investigation. Joseph Hopkins was already out on bail for burglary, grand theft auto, and resisting arrest. Palo Alto Detectives added additional booking charges of felony residential burglary and committing a felony while out on bail.
Palo Alto Detectives are also requesting that the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office add a felony charge of residential burglary on Breanna Hopkins.
Detectives conducted a full search of the suspect vehicle and ultimately recovered all of the property stolen from the burglary, with the exception of a couple items of miscellaneous personal property, which remain missing. Detectives are still investigating to see if the two suspects may be connected to any other residential burglaries in Palo Alto or surrounding communities.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.
