A former San Jose State football player pleaded guilty today to a burglary spree that spanned four Bay Area counties and included the home of the late Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder.
Kariem McFarlin, 35, of Alameda, was convicted of eight counts of residential burglary and one count of possessing stolen property, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. McFarlien could face up to seven years and eight months in prison when sentenced on Jan. 17.
Police previously said McFarlin confessed to breaking into Jobs' Palo Alto home on July 17 and stealing a treasure-trove of goodies ranging from iPads to jewelry to kitchen blenders. He's also allegedly written a one-page letter of apology to Jobs' widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, after being arrested Aug. 2 in Alameda.
McFarlin has told detectives he was desperate and lived in cars before burglarizing four homes in San Francisco, then the Jobs residence, police said. McFarlin tried selling some of the lavish Tiffany & Co. jewelry from the home and gave iPads from the house to his daughter and to his friend, police said."
From at least March, 2011 to July, 2012, McFarlin targeted homes in affluent neighborhoods that appeared vacant while under construction or being remodeled, according to prosecutors. In addition to the Jobs' burglary, McFarlin admitted breaking into two homes in Marin County, four homes in San Francisco County and one home in Alameda County. He also admitted keeping hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property, including computers, jewelry, furniture and a solid silver bar, at his home and storage locker in Alameda.
"This case can serve as a warning to families who may leave their homes for an extended period — either for vacation or while the home is under construction," Santa Clara County prosecutor Thomas Flattery said in a statement. "An empty, unprotected house is like low hanging fruit to thieves. Lock doors. Use alarms. Take precautions.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Add your comments