Tracking Software Leads Police to Thief in San Francisco

On Wednesday July 31st, 2013 at about 1:00 am, Pleasanton Police dispatch received a call from a male at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel, located at 5115 Hopyard Rd. 

The male reported that while he was registering as a guest at the hotel, someone took his briefcase from the floor beside him. No one was seen taking the briefcase but the victim did notice that two black female adults were in the reception area at the same time and suspected they may have taken his briefcase.  

When he noticed the case missing, he also noticed the females were gone.  The victim provided a detailed description of the suspects to officers.  

Inside the victim’s briefcase were several Apple products which had tracking software on them. Officers were able to bring the devices up via the internet and began tracking their location.  

Ultimately, the devices stopped moving at an address in Hunter’s Point in San Francisco. PPD officers contacted San Francisco PD and coordinated their response to the location where the bag was being shown and gave a description of the suspect. 

San Francisco PD dispatched numerous units to the area and located the suspect, 27-year-old San Francisco resident Petesa Ufau, in a vehicle, in plain view with a computer with the victim’s name on it. Ufau was taken into custody by SFPD.  

All of the victim’s property was located and recovered. PPD officers responded to San Francisco to take custody of Ufau and she gave them a full statement, admitting to the theft.  

The investigation is ongoing and PPD is working on identifying the second suspect.