On December 4, 2003, at approximately 6:30 PM, Menlo Park detectives and police officers arrested Cuong Van Phan, age 27 years old, of San Jose, for auto burglary, grand theft and evading police.

Menlo Park detectives had been working over the past two months to stop a string of auto burglaries which had been occurring on a regular basis in school parking lots. A surveillance operation was conducted by Menlo Park PD over the past three weeks to apprehend the suspect. Menlo Park detectives observed Cuong Phan enter two vehicles in a school parking lot and remove property. Mr. Phan was stopped as he attempted to flee in his vehicle.

Menlo Park detectives are currently working with investigators from other local law enforcement agencies to solve similar crimes, which have occurred over the past few months. It is possible that the suspect may be responsible for up to eighty similar crimes in various jurisdictions since January 2003.