Originally published as a City of Chico press release:
“On July 31, 2022, at approximately 04:29 AM, a Chico Police Officer patrolling the area of Esplanade and Cohasset Road spotted a suspicious male walking out of the Garden Vila business park. Due to the businesses being closed and other suspicious behavior observed, the officer turned around to investigate and saw the male running north on the adjacent bike path.
A quick search of the area found the front doors of the Foodie Cafe smashed indicating a commercial burglary. Additional CPD Officers responded and set up a perimeter to catch the suspect. A keen-eyed neighbor pointed Officers to the parking lot of Chico Sports Club where 29-year-old Angel Tapia was casually walking away. Tapia was detained and found to be the same subject first observed, but without the sweatshirt. Tapia was sweating profusely and bleeding and found to be on Butte County Probation for vandalism.
Officers searched the Foodie Cafe and discovered the door to the manager’s office had a large hole cut into the middle of it allowing access. A further search of the bike path and parking lots revealed a safe broken open with bundles of money spread out amongst bank bags. A trail of individual bills led officers further down the bike path to the sweatshirt and an additional bank bag containing money. A chainsaw was found which was believed to have been used to cut thru the door inside the business. Despite Tapia saying he was uninvolved, the large amount of small currency found shoved into his pockets along with a similar bank money band and the saw dust on his shoes, pants, and sweatshirt said otherwise. The items were returned to the owner and Tapia was arrested and transported to the Butte County Jail for the following offences:
– 459 PC, (Burglary)
– 594(a)(3) PC, (Vandalism)
– 1203.2 (a) PC (Violation of Probation)
The Chico Police Department would like to thank the community member who assisted in swiftly identifying the location of the suspect leading to his arrest.”
