Regional golf ball theft ring reached Cupertino stores

San Jose police said on May 15 that a South Bay theft case tied Cupertino stores to a broader run of retail thefts involving golf balls taken from chain retailers across Santa Clara County. The San Jose Police Department said its Organized Retail Theft Detail investigated 28 thefts between March 25 and May 5 in San Jose, Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. Police identified the suspect as 40-year-old San Jose resident William Yixin Pu and said the losses totaled nearly $8,000. Investigators said Pu resold the stolen merchandise online and was arrested on May 6. ### How did Cupertino stores end up in a South Bay theft case? Cupertino was one of four cities named by San Jose police in the investigation, alongside San Jose, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. The department said the thefts happened at multiple retail chain stores in Santa Clara County and involved large amounts of golf balls in each case. CBS San Francisco, citing the police release, reported that the case involved South Bay retail stores and that some of the thefts were reported in Cupertino. Patch’s Cupertino roundup framed the case as a regional theft spree that reached local stores, including Target. ### What exactly do police say was stolen? (sjpd.org) The San Jose Police Department said the suspect “specifically stole large amounts of golf balls” in approximately 28 separate thefts. The department put the estimated value at nearly $8,000. Bay City News, published by SFGATE, reported the same total and said the thefts were spread across the four South Bay cities over roughly six weeks. (cbsnews.com) CBS San Francisco reported that the thefts ran from March 25 through May 5. ### Who is accused, and what do investigators say he did with the merchandise? William Yixin Pu, a 40-year-old San Jose resident, was identified by SJPD as the primary suspect. (sjpd.org) Police said investigators determined during the case that Pu was reselling the stolen golf balls online. On May 6, SJPD investigators and the Santa Clara County High Impact Team arrested Pu in San Jose after obtaining an arrest warrant and a search warrant for his residence, according to the police statement. (sfgate.com) Officers said they found stolen golf balls and other evidence during the search and booked him into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for felony grand theft. (sjpd.org) ### Why does the case mention Target and other chains? Target appears in local follow-up coverage because Cupertino and San Jose Target stores were among the retailers cited in Patch and other reports about the theft pattern. The police release itself does not name individual chains, referring instead to “multiple retail chain stores.” That distinction matters because the confirmed public record so far comes from SJPD’s release: a countywide organized retail theft investigation, one named suspect, four cities and nearly $8,000 in losses. (sjpd.org) Reports that single out particular storefronts or chains rely on local media accounts built from the same police case. ### What happens next in the investigation? (sjpd.org) SJPD said Pu was booked for felony grand theft, and the department asked anyone with information to contact Investigator Moody #1617N of the Organized Retail Theft Detail. The agency also directed tipsters to Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers and the P3TIPS app for anonymous submissions. As of May 21, the clearest next public step is any charging decision tied to the May 6 arrest and any additional tips that investigators receive. (sjpd.org) San Jose police said information can be provided directly to Investigator Moody at 408-277-4166.