SAN MATEO, Calif. (March 21, 2025) – A busy day for retail crime in San Mateo led to several theft-related arrests on Wednesday. Law enforcement responded to multiple incidents across local stores, including lululemon, Macy’s, and The Home Depot, involving suspects using stolen property and attempting fraudulent returns. In one case, a U-Haul truck was found to have been stolen and used in the thefts.
The first incident took place at lululemon in the Hillsdale Shopping Center around 11:15 a.m., where Teivishon Nelson Salahudin (30) from Reno, Nevada, along with another suspect, allegedly concealed $875 worth of merchandise to return it for store credit, intending to sell it at a discount. Salahudin was arrested and charged with petty theft and organized retail theft with intent to sell.
Hours later, police returned to lululemon after several females who had previously stolen from the store returned and tried to make a refund transaction. One suspect, Endya Patteway (26) from Union City, was arrested on a felony warrant, and charges related to possession of stolen property were still under review.
The third incident at lululemon involved Crystal Sandling (41) from Antioch and an accomplice, who attempted a similar refund scheme. Police stopped Sandling in her vehicle, where they found 17 pieces of stolen merchandise, a security tag remover, and a tinfoil-lined paper bag used to defeat alarms. Sandling was arrested, and an arrest warrant was sought for her accomplice.
Just after these incidents, Macy’s reported a shoplifting incident, which led to a citation, and The Home Depot reported a theft around 2:44 p.m. Omar Gomez (50), described as a transient, allegedly stole $886 worth of merchandise and was found driving a stolen U-Haul truck. He was arrested for petty theft and possession of a stolen vehicle, while his passenger was arrested on drug-related charges.
These arrests were made as part of the Organized Retail Theft Task Force, a collaborative effort involving San Mateo, Daly City, and San Bruno Police Departments. The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests may follow.
