SUNNYVALE PUBLIC SAFETY ARRESTS MAN IN CONNECTION WITH RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES

Suspect linked to assault during recent burglary attempt

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) investigators have arrested a man in connection with eight residential burglaries that have occurred in Sunnyvale in the past several months. Detectives developed evidence that caused them to focus their investigation on Rigoberto Pacheco Mendoza, a 23-year-old Sunnyvale resident. Mendoza is currently on probation as the result of a prior burglary arrest, and investigators discovered that there was a warrant for his arrest charging him with a violation of that probation. On February 29 at approximately 8 a.m., Mendoza was detained by DPS officers as he left his Floyd Avenue residence. Mendoza was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant.

A search of the residence was conducted by DPS investigators. During the search, officers found evidence linking Mendoza to at least eight burglaries in the City, including a residential burglary that occurred on Bobwhite Avenue. During that burglary, the resident confronted a suspect in the home. A brief struggle ensued, during which the resident sustained a knife wound to the hand.

Mendoza was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on the eight counts of burglary, one count of assault with a deadly weapon and the warrant for a violation of probation. Anyone with additional information about this suspect or these incidents is asked to contact Sunnyvale DPS Detective Phebea Klein at (408) 730-7120.