Two suspects arrested for vandalizing cars in Willows neighborhood of Menlo Park

Menlo Park Police dispatch received three separate reports of vehicle window smash vandalism in the Willows area of Menlo Park on Thursday, September 16, 2021, at 8:17 p.m.,

Officers responded and determined that the damaged vehicles had their windows shattered when they were shot with a BB gun. While circulating the area attempting to locate suspects and other victims, officers located an additional five damaged vehicles, contacted their owners and took reports.

At 10:12 p.m., Menlo Park Police dispatch received another report of a vehicle window vandalism that had just occurred on O’Keefe Street in the Willows area of Menlo Park. Officers, still in the area, responded and were able to obtain possible suspects descriptions from witnesses. These descriptions were immediately relayed to other officers who were responding to the area to assist.

At 10:22 p.m., a Menlo Park officer located two suspects matching the descriptions provided, in the area of Willow Road and Gilbert Street in Menlo Park. The subjects were contacted and detained. A search of the two suspects located two loaded BB handguns in their waistbands. An additional search of the surrounding area located four more vehicles that had been vandalized by shots from BB guns. The owners of those vehicles were contacted and additional reports taken.

Suspects Daniel Torres-Juarez, an 18-year-old male, and Jose Banderas, a 21-year-old male, both from East Palo Alto, were arrested and booked into the San Mateo County Jail on 14 felony counts of Vandalism (594 PC), one misdemeanor count of Vandalism (594 PC) and one count of Conspiracy (182 PC).

The Police Department is asking anyone who might have information regarding this case and/or who witnessed this incident, to call the Police Department at 650-330-6300 or the Anonymous Tip Hotline at 650-330-6395.