Neighbors Help San Rafael Police Catch Alleged Burglar in the Act

Sometimes it does take a village. Especially if you are trying to catch a serial San Rafael burglar. 

Multiple Mountain View Drive residents called the San Rafael Police Wednesday after they saw a man carrying a backpack loitering in front of a neighbor’s house around 1:45 p.m.

Police surrounded the residence, on the 300 block of the street in the Dominican neighborhood, and noticed an open rear sliding door. The police arrested a 28-year-old San Rafael man, Phillip Daniel Ercolini, after he left the home via the front door.

The police found stolen property from the residence nearby and a handgun stolen from a different residential burglary.

Ercolini was booked in the Marin County Jail on suspicion of burglary, possession of stolen property and carrying a stolen firearm. 

Since Ercolini’s arrest, police detectives recovered stolen property from many recent burglaries and linked Ercolini to a dozen residential burglaries that occurred in the past few weeks, according to San Rafael Police officials. The police will return the recovered property to its owners as the investigation continues.

Police had been asking residents to report suspicious people and keep doors and windows locked when they are not home. Ercolini told investigators he looked for homes with open doors and windows. 

In an unrelated case, another 28-year-old San Rafael resident was arrested Wednesday after she was linked to a complex case involving San Rafael residential burglaries and a fraudulent bank account.