September Trial Date Set for Belmont Tool Thief

A Pacifica man with three pending arrest warrants will stand trial in September for stealing tools from storage unit in a Belmont apartment complex and eluding police, according to San Mateo County District Attorney, Steve Wagstaffe.

Belmont police arrested Mitchell James Borden, 25, on May 4, 2013 after he allegedly pried open a storage unit on Village Court in Belmont, stole tools from the unit, then jumped in a car and fled. A neighbor called Belmont police who pursued Borden on foot after the suspect jumped out of the car in the lot of a convalescent home.

Police say Borden then jumped a fence and walked into the unlocked home of a 44-year-old woman where he sat down on the couch and told the woman not to call the police. The woman reportedly sat quietly until the suspect reached toward her and she pulled away. Police conducting a search saw the suspect and came to the rescue and arrested him.

Borden was arraigned on June 4 and appeared in San Mateo County Superior Court on Tuesday before Judge Barbara Mallach for a pretrial conference. 

The case was confirmed for jury trial on September 3, 2013 at 8:45 a.m.

Borden remains in custody on $175,000 bail. His defense attorney is Tom Kelley.