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Teen girl tracked by footprints after home looted
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A 16-year-old Manteca girl is in Juvenile Hall after she was tracked by her footprints from the scene of a home burglary in the 1800 block of Pin Oak Lane Monday noon to her home several houses away.

A $20,000 seven karat family heirloom diamond ring, extensive gold jewelry and an array of computer games, shoes and purses along with two laptop computers that were taken in the theft in the extreme northeast section of the city, Manteca Police said.

Community service officer Linda Lewis was credited in tracking the teen who, police said, apparently jumped the back fence of the victim’s home and walked along the fence line in mud.  Lewis followed the trail to a residence several homes away with two officers backing her up in the search.

Officers contacted the suspect’s parents and were given the go ahead to check inside the house.  While they were there the teen and her brother drove into the driveway and parked the car in the garage.  Police were allowed to go ahead to search the car and its trunk where they found shoes, purses and a jewelry box with some of the missing items.

Officers said the “good stuff” including the diamond ring were  missing and they believe it was taken by an accomplice to be sold and melted down with the high price gold is bringing in today’s market. 

Patrolman Shawn Cavin said crooks are selling what they steal from homes for pennies on the dollar – getting away with precious family memories in the process.

Cavin added that the computer games that had been taken were returned to a Manteca game store for a gift card with an alleged plan to purchase new releases later.

The Pin Oak burglary was one of three within the city to occur within a two-hour period of time on Monday.  The second was on the corner of Trinity Street and Edward Avenue in the Powers subdivision west of Spreckels Park.

The third burglary was in the 800 block of Edythe Street in the south, central part of the city.