Suspected Golf-Ball Theft at Cupertino Target

San Jose police said on May 15 that a months-long retail theft investigation tied a string of golf-ball thefts at chain stores in Cupertino and three other South Bay cities to one suspect. The San Jose Police Department said its Organized Retail Theft Detail investigated thefts reported between March 25 and May 5 in San Jose, Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. Police said the suspect targeted large quantities of golf balls and that total losses across the cases reached nearly $8,000. The case surfaced in Cupertino after Patch highlighted the local Target angle, but police said the investigation spanned multiple cities and stores. ### How did Cupertino’s Target fit into the broader case? Cupertino was one of four South Bay cities named by San Jose police in the theft investigation. The department said the suspect stole from multiple retail chain stores across Santa Clara County, and Patch’s Cupertino briefing identified the city’s Target store as one of the local touchpoints in the spree. Police did not, in the public release reviewed, break out how many of the 28 thefts occurred at the Cupertino location or assign a dollar figure to that store alone. (sjpd.org) The Target store in question is on Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino, according to prior local crime coverage and city records that reference theft calls at that location. Neither Target nor the Cupertino briefing published a store-specific account of how many boxes were taken from that site. ### Who did police arrest, and when? San Jose police identified the suspect as William Yixin Pu, a 40-year-old San Jose resident. (sjpd.org) The department said investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Pu and a search warrant for his residence, then arrested him in San Jose on May 6 with assistance from the Santa Clara County High Impact Team. Police said Pu was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of felony grand theft. (brightgram.com) Bay City News and CBS Bay Area reported the same booking detail from the police release. ### What did investigators say was stolen? Police said the suspect focused on “large amounts of golf balls” during the thefts. The San Jose Police Department said investigators counted about 28 separate thefts across the four cities, with an estimated total value of nearly $8,000. (sjpd.org) NewsBreak, citing KTVU-adapted material, reported that the merchandise included golf balls from brands such as Titleist, Callaway Golf and TaylorMade. (sjpd.org) That brand detail did not appear in the San Jose police release, so it remains a media report rather than a police statement in the public materials reviewed. ### What evidence did police say they found? (sjpd.org) San Jose police said the investigation found that Pu was reselling the stolen merchandise online. The department said officers recovered stolen golf balls and other evidence while executing the search warrant at his San Jose residence. CBS Bay Area reported that investigators worked with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s retail task force during the case. (newsbreak.com) The police release names the Santa Clara County High Impact Team as the assisting agency in the arrest and search. ### Why did early Cupertino coverage focus on store monitoring? Patch’s Cupertino item framed the case through the local store and said loss-prevention footage and employee reports had prompted police involvement. (sjpd.org) The San Jose police release does not describe the initial store-level evidence in that detail, but it does say the Organized Retail Theft Detail opened a “comprehensive investigation” into the theft series. (cbsnews.com) The public record available on May 18 does not show a separate Cupertino police or sheriff’s release laying out a store-by-store timeline for the Target incidents. That leaves the clearest verified account, so far, with the San Jose police summary of dates, cities, arrest and recovered evidence. ### What happens next in the case? May 15 is the date San Jose police publicly announced the arrest and asked for additional tips. (patch.com) The department said anyone with information should contact Investigator Moody #1617N of the Organized Retail Theft Detail at 408-277-4166, or submit anonymous information through P3TIPS, the police tip line, or Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers. (sjpd.org)