Regional Golf Ball Theft Ring Hits Cupertino

The San Jose Police Department said on May 15 that investigators had arrested a San Jose man in a retail theft case that reached stores in Cupertino and three other South Bay cities. Police said the investigation covered thefts between March 25 and May 5 and focused on large quantities of golf balls taken from multiple chain retailers. The suspect, William Yixin Pu, 40, was arrested on May 6 in San Jose, according to the department. Officers later searched his residence and seized stolen golf balls and other evidence, police said. ### How did Cupertino get pulled into the case? Cupertino was one of four cities named by San Jose police in the case. The department said the thefts were reported at retail chain stores in San Jose, Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, placing the Cupertino incidents inside what investigators described as a broader countywide pattern rather than a single-store problem. (sjpd.org) The time frame also points to a repeated operation rather than a one-day theft. San Jose police said the incidents stretched across roughly six weeks, from March 25 to May 5, and involved “approximately” 28 separate thefts. ### What exactly was being stolen? Golf balls were the consistent target in every incident identified by police. San Jose police said the suspect stole large amounts of golf balls from multiple retail chain stores, and CBS Bay Area reported the thefts involved boxes of golf balls. (sjpd.org) The dollar amount was modest compared with some organized retail theft cases, but police treated the pattern as felony grand theft. (sjpd.org) San Jose police put the total losses at nearly $8,000 and said Pu was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for felony grand theft after his arrest. ### Why are police calling this organized retail theft? The San Jose Police Department assigned the case to its Organized Retail Theft Detail. (sjpd.org) In its release, the department said investigators traced repeated thefts across several cities to the same suspect and found evidence that the merchandise was being resold online. That resale detail is one reason the case moved beyond a routine shoplifting report. (sjpd.org) Police said investigators discovered Pu was selling the stolen merchandise online before they sought arrest and search warrants. ### What do police say happened at the arrest? May 6 is the key date in the case. San Jose police said investigators, assisted by the Santa Clara County High Impact Team, located and arrested Pu in San Jose that day. (sjpd.org) A search of the suspect’s home followed the arrest. Police said officers recovered stolen golf balls and other evidence while executing the warrant at the residence. (sjpd.org) ### What is still unresolved? Charging records beyond the arrest announcement were not detailed in the police release reviewed for this story. San Jose police did not identify the specific retailers hit in Cupertino or the breakdown of losses by city in the materials they published on May 15. (sjpd.org) Retailers’ security changes were referenced in local roundup coverage, but the police release itself centered on the arrest, the search and the request for tips. (sjpd.org) Based on the verified public record now available, the clearest confirmed facts are the dates, the cities, the item stolen, the estimated loss and the suspect’s name. ### What happens next? Investigator Moody of the San Jose Police Department’s Organized Retail Theft Detail is the named contact for additional information from the public. (sjpd.org) The department asked anyone with information about the case to call 408-277-4166 as the investigation continues. (patch.com)