Suspect in string of Oakmont burglaries investigated for other thefts

A Santa Rosa man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of burglarizing four Oakmont homes last month, though police say they’re investigating him for additional crimes after a search of his residence turned up a hoard of what appears to be additional stolen property.

Russell Blystone, 38, was taken into custody after Petaluma police stopped a car he was a passenger in and realized there was a warrant for his arrest, Santa Rosa Police spokesman Sgt. Chris Mahurin said.

The warrant accused Blystone of felony possession of the personal identifying information of 10 or more people, five counts of possession of stolen property, burglary of a business and theft by the use of a credit or debit card, crimes linked to four home burglaries on two separate days last month, Mahurin said.

The first thefts were reported Feb. 7 on Fairfield Drive and Autumn Leaf Drive, located about a half-mile apart. The second round of burglaries was reported Feb. 19 on Oak Leaf Drive and Valley Oaks Lane, Mahurin said.

In each instance, police suspect the burglar entered through open or unlocked doors and windows while the residents were away, taking jewelry, credit cards, checkbooks, family heirlooms and other items before leaving, Mahurin said.

Surveillance footage from the neighborhood gave police an idea of what the suspect looked like, though his identity was unknown.

On March 2, a pair of Santa Rosa officers pulled Blystone over on Cleveland and Russell avenues for a traffic violation and found a small bag of apparent methamphetamine, as well as items that were later linked to one of the burglaries in Oakmont, Mahurin said.

Blystone was arrested on suspicion of possession of suspected methamphetamine and stolen property, Mahurin said. The police report from the arrest was then forwarded to property crimes detectives, who homed in on Blystone as their suspect in the string of burglaries.

A search warrant was served on Blystone’s Range Avenue home on March 3, which led officers to find stolen property taken in the Oakmont burglaries, as well as ID cards, checkbooks and other items police believe Blystone stole, Mahurin said.

The information boosted officers’ case against Blystone in the Oakmont burglaries and resulted in the issuance of a warrant for his arrest, which Petaluma police used to take him into custody this week, Mahurin said.

Blystone was no longer being held at the Sonoma County Jail as of Friday afternoon.

Police are trying to identify additional victims based on the property located in Blystone’s home, Mahurin said. The department encourages anyone with information about the investigation to visit the agency’s online tips page at www.srcity.org/CrimeTips.

Email nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com.