San Francisco police arrested two men after a May 7, 2026, auto burglary at Stonestown Mall, according to a department news release. With help from the Real Time Investigation Center, officers launched a coordinated investigation across the Bay Area using automated license plate reader technology. They discovered the suspects had switched the vehicle’s license plate, and a reader alert near El Cerrito led plainclothes officers to the car, where they recovered stolen property, burglary tools and six stolen catalytic converters.
At a glance
- Agency
- San Francisco Police Department, with its Real Time Investigation Center
- Burglary
- May 7, 2026, about 10 a.m., Stonestown Mall
- Complication
- The suspects switched the vehicle’s license plate
- Alert
- Near El Cerrito; the car was found at El Cerrito Plaza
- Recovered
- Stolen property, burglary tools and six stolen catalytic converters
- Arrested
- Two men, from Bay Point and Brentwood (one is 34)
How the plate reader helped
This is what the report says about the technology’s role.
- Officers began a real-time investigation across the Bay Area using plate reader technology.
- They learned the plate on the vehicle had been reported stolen, then that the suspects had swapped plates.
- A reader alert near El Cerrito led plainclothes officers to the vehicle.
The outcome
- Both men were booked on burglary, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools and conspiracy charges.
- The Burglary Unit connected them to additional catalytic converter thefts and a felony evasion.
In the news
“Officers launched a coordinated real-time investigation across the Bay Area using automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology and support from RTIC.”
The excerpt is quoted word for word. The rest of this page paraphrases the same report, so names, dates and figures are the reporter’s or the agency’s, not ours. Where a report does not say something, we do not guess.
Context and caveats
- The department said it remains an active investigation.
- This page summarizes an agency news release rather than independent reporting.
License plate readers are one investigative tool among several. They flag vehicles and give investigators leads; officers, detectives and the public do the rest, and every lead still has to be verified. For how agencies govern the technology, see our policy and data-retention guide and the accuracy guide.
How Intelvi AI fits
See the plate.See the whole story.
Intelvi AI pairs real-time plate recognition with continuous video in one solar-powered, off-grid camera, so a plate read comes with the scene around it.
Hotlist matches trigger instant alerts, so the right people know first.
Protecting privacy is paramount. Intelvi AI delivers robust features designed to safeguard individual privacy while helping keep communities safe.
Frequently asked questions
What happened when the suspects changed plates?
Officers learned the plate had been reported stolen and that the suspects switched it; a later reader alert near El Cerrito led them to the car.
What was recovered?
Stolen property, burglary tools and six stolen catalytic converters.