Girls rock

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First in San Mateo, now across the bay in Alameda County: There's been another burglary case cracked thanks to the actions of a bold girl, this time in Pleasanton.

Shortly before 11 a.m. Monday, a 16-year-old girl called 911 to report that a man was in her home on the 200 block of Calle Ricardo. The girl, who was at home with her 13-year-old sister, said the man had knocked on the front door. When they didn't answer, he went into the backyard and entered the home through an open window, police Sgt. Penelope Tamm said.

Once the man was inside, one of the teenagers confronted him. The man ran out, and as he went, the older girl watched him get into a black Jeep Cherokee with another man sitting inside.

The girl gave cops "very good details" of the Jeep and both men, Tamm said. Officers arrived and detained the man in the car, identified as 19-year-old Roberto Mendieta of San Jose.

After searching many backyards, K-9 Officer Randy Paulson and his dog, Robbie, found 18-year-old Jose Manuel Rodriguez of San Jose hiding in a storage shed, Tamm said.

Mendieta, a janitor, is being held in lieu of $112,500 bail on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy, participating in a criminal street gang and possession of burglary tools.

Rodriguez, a carpet cleaner, faces all but the burglary tool counts and is being held on $110,000 bail.

Posted By: Henry K. Lee (Email, Twitter, Facebook) | August 25 2009 at 01:25 PM

Listed Under: Crime victims