Menlo Park police arrest 4 in suspected retail theft ring

Menlo Park officers responded to a 2:19 p.m. call from Safeway employees reporting that four people were inside the store stealing items off the shelves before leaving in a red Chrysler sedan, which was driven across the street to a Big 5 Sporting Goods store in the 700 block of El Camino Real.

Police said the foursome entered that store and continued their crime spree, stealing a large amount of clothing before leaving the scene in the same red Chrysler.

Moments later, police saw the vehicle and pulled it over and detained all four people, recovering a large amount of stolen items from the two stores as well as from Home Depot, Petco, CVS and Walgreens.

Police said they also found in the vehicle some narcotics, drug paraphernalia and credit card skimming machines.

The four arrested for various crimes of theft were Rodolfo Castillo, 47, of San Francisco; Ama Jaques, 44, of San Francisco; Arnold Lampkins, 44, of Pacifica; and Julien Salgado, 33, of Martinez.

Police said they also learned through the investigation that Jaques and Lampkins were arrested Friday by an outside agency for engaging in the same form of criminal activity and driving the same red Chrysler sedan.