Suspect Arrested in Golf Ball Theft Spree

San Jose police said Friday that officers arrested a 40-year-old man after investigating what they described as a weeks-long series of golf ball thefts from chain stores across Santa Clara County. The department identified the suspect as William Yixin Pu, a San Jose resident, and said investigators tied him to about 28 separate thefts between March 25 and May 5. Police said the losses totaled nearly $8,000. Pu was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of felony grand theft, according to the San Jose Police Department. ### Which cities were hit in the theft series? The San Jose Police Department said the thefts occurred at retail chain stores in San Jose, Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. In each case, investigators said, the suspect targeted large quantities of golf balls. Police did not identify the stores in the release issued Friday afternoon. (sjpd.org) March 25 and May 5 mark the time span police gave for the theft series. The department said the incidents took place across Santa Clara County and were investigated as part of an organized retail theft case. ### How did investigators identify the suspect? SJPD's Organized Retail Theft Detail said it worked with the Santa Clara County High Impact Team during what the department called a comprehensive investigation. (sjpd.org) Investigators identified Pu as the primary suspect, police said. Police said investigators also found that the stolen merchandise was being resold online. (sjpd.org) The department did not say on which platform the golf balls were allegedly offered for sale, and court records detailing the allegations were not included in the police statement. ### When was Pu arrested, and what was recovered? May 6 was the date police said investigators located and arrested Pu in San Jose. (sjpd.org) The arrest came with assistance from the Santa Clara County High Impact Team, according to the department. A search warrant served at Pu's residence led investigators to recover stolen golf balls and other evidence, police said. (sjpd.org) The department said Pu was then booked into the county jail for felony grand theft. As of the police statement on May 15, the release did not list any additional charges beyond that booking description. ### Why did police describe it as organized retail theft? The San Jose Police Department assigned the case to its Organized Retail Theft Detail, and the release described the investigation as involving multiple incidents at chain stores in four cities. Police said the suspect was linked to about 28 thefts and to online resale of the merchandise. (sjpd.org) California law enforcement agencies have increasingly used organized retail theft units for cases involving repeated thefts across store locations, though the San Jose release did not say whether prosecutors had filed a formal organized retail theft count in this case. The department listed the case type as grand theft. ### What is the next step in the case? (sjpd.org) Friday's police release listed case number 26-090-0469 and asked anyone with information to contact Investigator Moody of the Organized Retail Theft Detail at 408-277-4166. The department also said anonymous tips can be submitted through the P3TIPS mobile app, the 408-947-STOP tip line, or Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers. (sjpd.org) The next public steps are likely to come through Santa Clara County court filings or any additional charging announcement from prosecutors. As of the San Jose police statement dated May 15 at 4:30 p.m., the department's public release focused on the arrest, recovered property and requests for tips. (sjpd.org)