SAN ANTONIO – A man connected to multiple burglaries in San Antonio has been arrested by the city’s police. Jose Trinidad Patino, aged 39, was apprehended as part of an undercover operation conducted through Facebook Marketplace.
As per Patino’s arrest warrant affidavit, a complaint was lodged with the police on June 30 by a building manager. Several friends had notified him that items from his property were being offered for sale on Facebook Marketplace. The stolen items were identified as nine fishing poles.
On July 4, another building was burglarized, and the suspect was captured on surveillance video. Detectives linked the Facebook profile selling the stolen items to a woman identified through the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) databases.
The police stated that Patino is the woman’s boyfriend and bears resemblance to the individual seen in the July 4 surveillance video.
Detectives arranged to purchase the stolen items and, after contacting Patino, arrested him without any resistance. At the time of his arrest, Patino had active warrants. The police recovered seven of the stolen fishing poles, valued at $4,200.
During questioning, detectives asked Patino about several other items visible on the Facebook profile, but Patino claimed they had already been sold.
Patino had previously been arrested in November 2022 in connection with multiple burglaries that were under investigation at the time. He was allegedly caught on surveillance video attempting to cash fraudulent lottery tickets stolen from a store on the North Side.
Court records reveal that Patino has faced several charges, including theft, dating back to 2006.
According to a Facebook post by the SAPD, Patino has been booked for an outstanding felony warrant and burglary of a building with the intent to commit thefts. His current bond is set at $30,000.