Thief Robs Sephora, Things Get Crazy When Cops Chase, Ends Badly For Thief

On 01.31.2020 at approximately 6:48 P.M. the Fremont Police Department responded to a reported robbery in-progress at the Sephora Store at Pacific Commons in Fremont. As officers arrived, they located the suspect vehicle from the reported robbery. A pursuit was initiated which led the Fremont officers to Balmoral St. in Union City.

The suspect vehicle drove into a cul-de-sac at the end of Balmoral St., where an officer involved shooting occurred involving a Fremont police officer. There were three suspects from the suspected robbery in the vehicle. Two suspects received non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to local area hospitals; both are expected to survive. The third suspect was taken into custody at the scene. No officers were injured as a result of this incident.

Updated Press Release February 5, 2020
Fremont Police – Officer Involved shooting in Union City
On 01.31.2020 at about 6:48 P.M. officers from the Fremont Police Department responded the Sephora Store (43500 Block of Christy St. Fremont Ca.) for what was reported by store employees as an in-progress robbery. Store employees advised that three suspects (later identified as suspects Stephon Tobias, Rayduan Lindsay, and Cameron Standley) had entered the store with garbage bags, filled the garbage bags with approximately $19,000 worth of merchandise, and fled the store
in a black colored SUV.

Fremont Police Officers located the suspect vehicle on northbound Interstate 880. The suspect vehicle (being driven by Tobias) did not pull over and instead fled at a high rate of speed with its lights turned off. A pursuit was initiated in an attempt to arrest the occupants. The pursuit lasted approximately 10 miles and ultimately ended in Union City.

As the pursuit entered Union City, Officers from the Union City Police Department responded to assist. The chase ended when the suspect vehicle entered the end of a cul-de-sac on Balmoral St in Union City. The suspect vehicle drove onto the front yard of a residence, nearly colliding with an occupied home. Officers from the Fremont and Union City Police Departments began conducting a high-risk stop of the vehicle and occupants. During this encounter, the suspect vehicle
was completely turned around and was facing the police cars head-on. Officers exited their vehicles and gave the three occupants verbal commands. The driver, Tobias, then proceeded to collide with several police vehicles.

Fremont Police Officer Darryl Manrique feared he was going to be run over by the suspect vehicle, so he discharged his service weapon at the driver in an attempt to stop the vehicle. Only the driver of the suspect vehicle was struck by gunfire. The driver has been identified as Stephon Tobias a 30-year-old Oakland resident. Tobias received a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his upper body. Tobias was transported to a local trauma center and he is now in police custody. One of the other occupants was identified as Rayduan Lindsay, a 24-year-old Oakland resident. Lindsay was not struck by gunfire, however received medical treatment for a non-life-threatening injury to his lower body. Lindsay was taken into custody after receiving medical treatment. The third occupant in the vehicle was identified as Cameron Standley, a 29-year-old resident of Oakland/Richmond. Standley was not injured and was taken into custody at the scene.

Witnesses from Sephora positively identified two of the suspects as being responsible for the burglary. Video surveillance collected from the store, as well as community cameras, verified the three occupants were the same suspects who committed the theft. Store employees initially reported this incident as an in-progress robbery, with patrons running out of the store and fearing for their safety. After further investigation it was determined that incident was a felony grand theft from the store. The suspects were not armed during the commission of the grand theft and officers did not find any weapons in the suspect vehicle.

Property stolen from the store was located inside of the suspect vehicle. When the vehicle was searched, officers recovered Sephora products in multiple large garbage bags. Additionally, officers have confirmed that the vehicle used by the suspects had been reported stolen from the City of Berkeley.

Officer Darryl Manrique is an 18-year police veteran (serving eight years with Newark Police Department and serving the last ten years with the Fremont Police Department). Officer Manrique was not injured during the incident and he is currently on paid administrative leave as per Fremont Police protocol.

The driver, Stephon Tobias, was found to be on felony probation and had two outstanding warrants at the time of his arrest.

Rayduan Lindsay was found to be active to parole with a prior felony robbery conviction. Lindsay also had a felony warrant for his arrest. (warrant for 'robbery'; related to a parole violation).

Cameron Standley was found to be active to parole for a prior felony burglary conviction.

On 02.04.20, detectives from Union City and Fremont presented the investigation to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office (Fremont Courthouse). The three suspects were charged with the following crimes:

Suspect #1 – (Driver) Stephon Tobias 30 years old, Oakland:
245(c) PC Assault with a Deadly Weapon on an Officer (2 Counts)
459 PC Burglary
2800.4 VC Evading a Peace Officer (Driving on the opposite side of a roadway)
2800.2 VC Evading a Peace Officer with wanton disregard for the safety of others
496D(a)PC Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
496(a)PC Possession of Stolen Property

Suspect #2 – (Front Passenger) Rayduan Lindsay 24 years old, Oakland:
459 PC Burglary
487 PC Grand Theft
496D(a) PC Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
496(a) PC Possession of Stolen Property

Suspect #3 (Rear Passenger) Cameron Standley 29 years old, Oakland/Richmond:
459 PC Burglary
487 PC Grand Theft
496D(a) PC Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
496(a) PC Possession of Stolen Property