Police Grab SF Thief in San Mateo Neighborhood

The San Mateo Police Department on Friday arrested a San Francisco man suspected of stealing from numerous San Mateo residents after an alert community member reported suspicious activity.

At about 6 a.m., officers responded to the area of 36th Avenue and Michael Drive due to a report of a suspicious person rummaging through garbage cans, San Mateo Police Sgt. Dave Norris said.

There police found Clinton Skelley, a 27-year-old man from San Francisco who matched the description of the suspicious subject.

During the investigation, Skelley was allegedly found to be in possession of several suspicious items of property "clearly belonging to other people living in the area," Norris said.

The property was later determined to have been stolen from about 10 unlocked vehicles parked in the neighborhood surrounding San Mateo County Medical Center.

Skelley was also reportedly in possession of a “window punch,” a commonly used tool for vehicle burglars; drugs packaged for sale; and suspected drug sales proceeds, according to Norris.

Skelley was arrested and later booked into San Mateo County Jail on suspicion of theft and drug sales related charges.