Co-defendant denies ex-convict was with him during burglary

A man convicted of stealing aluminum shutters from a gasoline station’s storage room came to the defense of his co-defendant yesterday, saying his companion was another male minor and not Ronald R. Kaipat, who is currently on trial for the same crime.

Taking the witness stand, Daniel M. Delos Santos admitted that he burglarized Mobil gas station’s storage room in San Jose in the early morning hours of Jan. 23, 2011, and that his companion was a minor whom he had met at the Friendly Market earlier that night and had agreed to participate in the burglary.

Delos Santos also admitted to taking part in other burglary and theft cases that also involved minors and Kaipat’s siblings but said he was never involved in criminal activities with Kaipat, whom he just met a year ago.

When asked by assistant attorney general Tiberius Mocanu to explain his short acquaintance with Kaipat, Delos Santos said that Kaipat was in jail.

Delos Santos described the minor who helped him with the burglary at the Mobil station’s storage room as having long hair tied in a pony tail and dark complexion. Kaipat has the same descriptions.

The Office of the Attorney General had charged both Delos Santos and Kaipat for the Mobil station burglary. Delos Santos had pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal and has been in prison for four months now.

The prosecution rested its case yesterday. Kaipat’s will continue today, Wednesday, with defense attorney Douglas Cushnie calling in witnesses. Kaipat’s trial began on Monday.

A witness had testified Monday that he recognized Kaipat and Delos Santos as the two suspects who stole aluminum shutters from Mobil gas station in San Jose in the early morning on Jan. 23, 2011. He said Kaipat and Delos Santos were regular customers at the gas station.

The witness said he saw the suspects from the window of his apartment when the burglary happened. He then led a responding police officer to the homes of the suspects.

Police officer John Kaipat Wabol, who also took the witness stand, testified seeing 30 pieces of typhoon shutters stacked on a wooden table at the back portion of Modern Stationary.

The witness identified the shutters as the ones taken from the gas station’s storage room.

Police said a police officer joined the patrol officer in searching the area after getting information that the suspects were still in the vicinity.

One officer spotted two men running south to the back of Modern Stationary.

Police officers arrested Delos Santos at his residence in San Jose, while Kaipat was picked up near the former Morgan’s Building.

Mocanu and assistant attorney general Nicole Driscoll are prosecuting the case.