Suspect responsible for several thefts arrested

Published on November 19, 2022

Menlo Park, Calif. — On Saturday, November 19, 2022, at approximately 6 a.m., a Menlo Park resident in the 300 block of Felton Drive, entered her kitchen to find an unknown female standing in front of the open refrigerator. The resident confronted the suspect, who then left the residence.

The resident took photographs of the suspect while she was gathering some of her belongings. Upon later review of the photographs, the resident noticed what appeared to be a handgun among the suspect’s belongings. Around 6:51 a.m., the resident then called the police. Menlo Park officers responded to the area and did not locate the suspect. Suspect information was shared with neighboring jurisdictions.

At approximately 9:59 a.m., San Mateo County Sheriff deputies located a suspect matching the description in Redwood City in the area of Second Ave. and Fair Oaks Ave. The suspect was positively identified as the suspect found in the resident’s kitchen in Menlo Park. The suspect was identified as Mercedez Smith, a 40-year-old female from Fresno, CA. A search of Smith revealed a very realistic replica Glock 17 pellet gun on her person. The suspect was transported to Menlo Park Police Department.

Atherton Police Department notified Menlo Park police that they also received a report of a burglary that occurred less than two miles from Felton Drive. Further search of Smith’s property revealed items taken during the burglary in the Town of Atherton and items from other recent thefts in Menlo Park and Palo Alto. Additionally, Smith was found to be under the influence of narcotics and in possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Smith was taken into custody and booked into the San Mateo County Jail for 460(A) PC, 496 PC, 11364 HS and 11550 HS.

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Contact:
Sergeant Aaron Dixon
amdixon@menlopark.org
650-330-6359