Using a store manager’s description to pull over a suspicious vehicle, Hollister police officers made a late-night arrest of two teenaged suspects in possession of thousands of dollars of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals from Safeway stores in Hollister, Prunedale and Half Moon Bay.
On the night of July 5, 2018, Hollister police said they received a report that a theft had just occurred at the Safeway at 591 Tres Pinos Road. The reporting party provided a description of the two suspects, a vehicle description and the last direction of travel.
While responding to the call, Officer Masso located a vehicle matching the given description leaving the area occupied by two individuals matching the description of the suspects.
Officer Masso made a traffic stop on the vehicle on Hillcrest Road and contacted two suspects, Melique Carter, 19, and Annalisia Kapisi,18, from Vallejo. The officer reported he found several boxes of over-the-counter medications and other items in the vehicle. Information obtained during the investigation suggests that the two may have traveled from city to city to commit similar thefts.
The recovered stolen property was not only from the theft at the Hollister store. Subsequent investigation revealed items were stolen from the store in Prunedale and Half Moon Bay. The total amount of stolen pharmaceuticals recovered was in excess of $3,300.00. Both Carter and Kapisi are on probation from San Mateo County for prior convictions.
Carter and Kapisi were both arrested without incident and booked on the charges of grand theft and conspiracy to commit a crime.
“The Hollister Police Department would like to thank the business employee who called to report the crime in progress and providing accurate and timely information,” said Capt. Carlos Reynoso. “Our partnership with the community is an essential element regarding crime prevention, the capture of suspects and making Hollister a safer place to live.”
Anyone having information on this case is asked to call the Hollister Police Department at 831-636-4330.
