Bike theft suspect chased by resident in golf cart

By the Daily Post staff

A man was arrested in Palo Alto after he stole two bikes and evaded a golf cart that chased him, police said yesterday.

Rogelio Espinoza, 20, a transient, was issued a citation for residential burglary on April 15.

Sgt. Eric Bulatao said two suspects stole two bikes that morning from a home at 800 block of Clark Way.

The victim was walking his dog and returned to his house through the garage. After entering his house he heard noises in the garage and went outside where a witness told him two people had stolen his bikes and fled in a Dodge truck.

Bulatao said the suspects likely snuck into the garage after the victim went inside his house. He said residents should make sure their garage doors are fully closed before they leave their garages.

After hearing about the thefts the victim got into his car to follow the truck.

A worker at the victim’s housing community who was in a golf cart joined the chase and went after the truck in the golf cart.

The victim and the worker caught up to the truck at a red light and told the suspects to pull over. The driver said he would pull over but when the light turned green he drove off.

Bulatao said about an hour later someone called the police to report a man walking with two bikes near El Camino. An officer went to the scene and found that the bikes with the man. Bulatao said the victim verified the make and model of the bikes and identified the man who was with the bikes as Espinoza. Espinoza cited for stealing them, Bulatao said.