SAN JOSÉ, Calif. – The San José Police Department announced the arrest of 49-year-old Raymundo Villareal in connection with a series of gang-motivated vandalism incidents that caused thousands of dollars in damage across the city.
Between September 4 and September 18, 2025, officers received multiple reports of vandalism targeting both private and public property, including City of San José property. Following a detailed investigation by the department’s Gang Investigations Unit (GIU), detectives identified Villareal as the primary suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest.
On September 30, 2025, detectives with the GIU located and arrested Villareal in San José. He was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on charges of gang-motivated felony vandalism. Police said the arrest underscores their ongoing commitment to tackling vandalism and gang-related activity citywide.
In recent months, the department added two more officers to the GIU to focus specifically on combating vandalism. That reassignment, part of a broader citywide strategy to address quality-of-life crimes, contributed to the successful arrest.
“How our city looks affects how we feel — and we’re not going to let vandals or gang members bring us down,” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan. “I’m grateful to our police officers for holding this prolific suspect accountable and to the City Council for making enforcement of quality-of-life crimes a priority so we can keep our neighborhoods safe and clean.”
“The City has made addressing vandalism a priority,” added San José City Manager Jennifer Maguire. “I commend the San José Police Department for its continued efforts to support our goal of maintaining safe and clean neighborhoods and public spaces.”
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this or similar cases to contact Detective Dean #5021 at 408-277-3835 or 5021@sanjoseca.gov. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the P3TIPS app, the tip line at (408) 947-STOP, or at www.siliconvalleycrimestoppers.org.