Belmont Police Release Names, Ages of Burglary Suspects

The Belmont Police Department on Tuesday released the names of three men Monday on suspicion of burglary after an alert mailman allegedly caught them in the act.

Tele Matangi, 23, of Belmont, and East Palo Alto residents Tavasa Pale, 18, and Erik Palomarescabrera, also 18, have been booked into San Mateo County jail on charges of residential burglary, possession of stolen property, and conspiracy in connection with the Monday afternoon burglary.

The men were spotted by a mail carrier shortly before 2 p.m. loitering near a home in the 400 block of Yorkshire Way, and saw the gate to the home's backyard was open, Belmont police Capt. Dan DeSmidt said.

The mail carrier, believing the men didn't look like residents of the home, called 911 and reported the incident to the police.

When Belmont officers responded, they discovered the home had indeed been burglarized, and were able to link the three men to the crime, DeSmidt said.

The trio were taken into custody without incident on suspicion of residential burglary and possession of stolen property.

Belmont detectives are investigating whether the suspects may be linked to similar crimes throughout the Peninsula.

Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to call Belmont police at 650-595-7400.