Two arrested in string of Sherwin-Williams paint store burglaries

A Belmont police officer who heard reports of the San Mateo burglary allegedly checked on the store in Belmont to find the rear door open and Montoya driving a car at a high speed out of the parking lot. When Montoya was stopped, a pry bar and a meth pipe were found in the car, the latter of which he allegedly said belonged to Rodriguez’s girlfriend, according to prosecutors.

After arresting Montoya, the officer returned to the store to find Rodriguez inside with $351 he had allegedly taken from the cash register and some $9,700 in property in a garbage bag, according to prosecutors.

After their arrest, both Montoya and Rodriguez were connected with the San Mateo burglary reported earlier in the day, in which nothing but a crowbar was stolen but property was moved around and the back door was damaged, according to prosecutors.

A warrant was already out for Rodriguez’s arrest after he allegedly broke into the Sherwin-Williams store in Millbrae Aug. 2, according to prosecutors.

Rodriguez and Montoya pleaded not guilty Tuesday to three felony charges, including commercial burglary and attempted grand theft, for the Aug. 20 crimes. The county’s private defender program was appointed to their cases and they will next appear in court Aug. 30 for preliminary hearing, according to prosecutors.

Because a warrant was out for Rodriguez’s arrest for some 50 alleged burglaries of Sherwin-Williams stores across the state, he appeared in court Monday following his arrest and pleaded not guilty to an additional count of felony commercial burglary related to the Millbrae incident, according to prosecutors.

Both men are in custody, and Rodriguez’s bail was set at $100,000 for all of his charges while Montoya’s bail was set at $25,000, according to prosecutors.