Man arrested after attempting to pawn stolen items
29-year-old Joseph Hopkins of Costa Mesa.
–On March 9, the San Luis Obispo Police Department began investigating a residential burglary that occurred in the 800 block of Mill Road in San Luis Obispo. Shortly after the investigation was started an unknown male suspect attempted to pawn several unique pieces of jewelry believed to have come from the burglary. As a result, investigators obtained surveillance video of the unknown suspect trying to pawn the items.
At the beginning of the investigation photographs of the suspect were distributed to law enforcement agencies throughout the state. Last week San Luis Obispo investigators were contacted by investigators from Northern California who recognized the suspect. He was identified as 29-year-old Joseph Hopkins of Costa Mesa. Hopkins had been arrested in Northern California in connection with another residential burglary and bailed out of custody before our investigators had been informed of the arrest.
Late last week Hopkins was arrested in Southern California on new charges of conspiracy. Over the weekend investigators from San Luis Obispo conducted an interview with Hopkins related to this case. As a result of their investigation, the case will be forwarded to the San Luis Obispo District Attorney’s Office for a criminal complaint against him.
If you have any information about this crime you are encouraged to call the San Luis Obispo Police Department at (805) 781-7312 or Crime Stoppers at 805-549-STOP.
