Deputies Recover Statues, Display Cases Stolen from Local Artist

By Bay City News Service 

Authorities have recovered about 20 metal statues stolen from a San Leandro artist and have arrested five San Jose men in connection with the case, a Santa Clara County sheriff's spokesman said.

The Santa Clara County Auto Theft Task Force arrested the men on Rose Avenue in San Jose at about 4:30 p.m. Monday, sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Rick Sung said.

The suspects are Hershain Alcantar, 19; Jesus Fajardo-Gonzalez, 19; Selim Garcia, 20; Olsen Garcia, 22; and Andy Gonzalez, 27.          

They will face charges including possession of burglary tools, possession of stolen property, possession of stolen vehicles, possession of a dangerous weapon and resisting or delaying a peace officer, Sung said.

Olsen Garcia and Selim Garcia are brothers, he said.

Sung said that at about 11 a.m. on Monday, detectives spotted a stolen Nissan minivan and began observing the vehicle, Sung said.

Several hours later, the four occupants of the Nissan met up with Gonzalez, who was driving a stolen Ford minivan, according to Sung.

The task force made a high-risk traffic stop at about 4:20 p.m. after both minivans drove to a local business, Sung said.

Gonzalez fled on foot but police chased him and arrested him, Sung said.

The statues were inside the Nissan, Sung said. A follow-up search at the home of one of the suspects revealed additional metal statues and property stolen from the San Leandro artist such as display cases and canopies, Sung said.

The artist had handcrafted the metal statues, which ranged in price from $115 to $165, Sung said.

"He was extremely delighted to have them returned," Sung said.