A group of juveniles allegedly used stolen vehicles to carry out a sweeping Bay Area burglary spree, targeting 77 homes and cars and making off with power tools, firearms and other property, authorities said.
The four minors are accused of committing 37 burglaries in Concord, along with about 40 additional break-ins in other communities across Contra Costa and Solano counties, according to investigators.
Authorities said the alleged pattern was both straightforward and bold: break into vehicles during the early-morning hours, steal garage-door openers, then use them to enter residential garages in search of more valuables.
Investigators say the crimes later appeared to move beyond property theft into a more alarming and potentially dangerous phase.
In May, surveillance footage captured armed suspects pointing a gun at the door connecting a garage to the home, seemingly prepared for the possibility that someone inside might come out.
In another burglary, the suspects allegedly stole 14 firearms from a residential garage.
Authorities also allege the group stole multiple vehicles and used them to commit further crimes across the region.
Police attempted more than once to pull over vehicles believed to be used as getaway cars.
One suspect vehicle tore away from a May traffic stop at high speed, forcing officers to abandon the pursuit over public-safety concerns.
Another suspect vehicle escaped police in June.
In a separate June burglary, the juveniles crashed while fleeing, jumped out and ran, but still managed to evade capture.
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A firearm was recovered.
The break finally came after Concord detectives, working with Richmond police, identified the four juveniles.
One was already sitting in Juvenile Hall on an unrelated case outside Concord.
In July, Concord SWAT teams, backed by cops from Antioch and Pittsburg, Central County SWAT and the US Marshals Service, launched a coordinated sweep.
Three outstanding suspects were arrested.
Searches of their homes turned up two guns stolen in Concord burglaries.
Richmond police had already recovered a third stolen firearm.
The juveniles face complaints filed by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
Their names were withheld because they are minors.
Investigators then followed the alleged stolen-goods pipeline to Wuillian Cordova-Cubias, 37, of Oakland.
Police say Cordova-Cubias repeatedly bought tools from the suspects, often right after the burglaries.
When cops raided his Oakland home, they allegedly found a staggering stash: a massive quantity of power tools, a stolen ATV, a stolen forklift, an unregistered firearm and other valuable property worth about $250,000.
Prosecutors charged Cordova-Cubias Friday with receiving stolen property, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, conspiracy to commit a crime and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
He was booked into Concord police jail and is now being held at the Martinez Detention Facility.
