Search for Auto Burglary Victim's Stolen Property Leads SFPD to Stash of Stolen Goods

On March 17, 2016, Officers from Taraval Station received a report of a vehicle burglary in the Outer Sunset.  The victim reported that she parked her Chevy SUV on Lincoln Way at 44th Avenue at approximately 7:30PM. She returned to her car at 8:00PM and discovered that an unknown suspect had broken a window, entered her car, and stolen two laptop computers and a specialized camera used for medical purposes.

Not long after, the victim contacted Taraval officers notifying them that she saw a listing for the stolen camera posted on an online marketplace. Investigators tracked the seller to an address in Oakland, California.  Members of the Taraval Station Investigations Team (SIT) conducted surveillance and obtained a search warrant for the seller’s residence.  

On the morning of April 28, 2016 officers and investigators from Taraval Station, with the assistance of the Oakland Police Department, served the search warrant at the residence on the 4200 block of Wilshire Boulevard.  During the search warrant service, officers recovered the stolen camera as well as other items believed to be stolen.  These items included: a bicycle, a drone, two rifles, power tools, and several pairs of high priced jeans.  Officers have since confirmed the bicycle (a specialized mountain bike) was stolen during an auto burglary in Pleasant Hill, California, and have returned the bike to its owner.   

Six persons were detained during the search warrant service and investigators determined that probable cause existed to arrest three of them. The three were booked at San Francisco County Jail and their booking photos accompany this press release.

• Mario Starnes, male, 51 years old, Oakland resident; booked on two counts of possession of stolen property.

• Trevor Starnes, male, 27 years old, Oakland resident; booked on one count of possession of stolen property. 

• Kostas Lirakis, male, 33 years old, Oakland resident; booked on an outstanding Alameda County warrant for second degree burglary, possession of burglar tools and theft. 

Investigators logged over 80 items of evidence seized during the search warrant. Many of these items may have been stolen in previous burglaries.  Members from Taraval Station SIT are working to link the items to existing crimes and to identify owners of the property.  The items have been photographed and catalogued and can be viewed online.

Anyone who believes their property is among the recovered items should call the Taraval Station SIT Team at (415) 759-3100. Proof of ownership such as receipts listing serial numbers or police reports documenting the theft of the property will be required.