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Two East Palo Alto women were arrested by Los Altos police Monday, Oct. 29, and have been connected to 15 residential burglaries across three counties, according to police.

Ana Lauese, 35, and Malinda Ladson, 33, were arrested Monday for residential burglary, possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled substance after an officer noticed one of the women sitting in a vehicle parked in the 600 block of Almond Avenue at approximately 2 p.m., Los Altos police stated in a press release Tuesday, Nov. 6.

The woman gave a false name to the officer and "exhibited suspicious behavior," according to police. The other woman was found nearby on Higgins Avenue and "had a different account of her reason for being in the neighborhood." A search of Ladson's vehicle turned up jewelry that had been stolen earlier in the day from a home in the 2300 block of St. Francis Drive in Palo Alto, police said. Suspected methamphetamine was also found in the vehicle.

The burglary on St. Francis had occurred between 10:10 a.m. and 2:20 p.m., Palo Alto police said. "The suspects pried open a locked sliding door to gain entry to the home," according to police. A follow-up investigation by Palo Alto police connected Lauese and Ladson to three more residential burglaries in the city this year and detectives will pursue charges against them for those burglaries, police said.

Lauese and Ladson are thought to be responsible for a June 29 burglary in the 1500 block of Mariposa Avenue, an Aug. 21 burglary in the 800 block of Gailen Avenue and a Sept. 7 burglary in the 600 block of East Meadow Drive, police said. Stolen property was found in a search of the suspects' residence in the 1900 block of Pulgas Avenue in East Palo Alto, Los Altos police stated in the release.

Lauese was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose on charges of residential burglary, possession of stolen property and providing false information to a peace officer. She is being held without bail. Ladson was booked for residential burglary, possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled substance. She is being held on $150,000 bail, police said.

Lauese and Ladson have been connected to 15 residential burglaries in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Contra Costa counties, police said. They have been tied to thefts in Los Altos, Palo Alto, Mountain View, San Jose, Redwood City, Belmont and Kensington.

The Los Altos Police Department is working with the Palo Alto Police Department and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office on the case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Los Altos Police Department Investigations Unit at 650-947-2813.

— Tyler Hanley

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