Two women suspected of stealing property Tuesday in San Carlos were arrested for the crime and for placing phony 911 calls in an attempt to distract the arresting officers, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
Lineti Takapuotuafi, 27, of Oakland and Antoinette Florez, 33, of Fresno were booked on charges including possession of stolen property, mail theft and false report of an emergency. They were booked into the Maguire Jail.
At about noon Tuesday, deputies responded to a residence in the 400 block of Portofino Drive in San Carlos after a neighbor reported two suspicious people on the property, the sheriff's office said. When deputies arrived, they found an unoccupied vehicle with stolen license plates, and it appeared to have stolen property inside.
While searching the area, deputies stopped Takapuotuafi a few blocks away, and while they spoke with her, several 911 calls were made by Florez, who claimed there was a shooting at a nearby park, the sheriff's office said. The reported shooting prompted a local elementary school to go on lockdown.
The calls eventually were found to be distraction calls in attempt to have deputies release Takapuotuafi. Deputies traced the calls to a nearby residence and found Florez, sheriff's officials said.
Anyone with information about the crime should call the Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau at 650-599-1536, or leave an anonymous tip by calling the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Anonymous Tip Line at 1-800-547-2700.
