Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Poppy Bank to hold Grand Opening ribbon cutting of Danville Branch Oct. 15

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The new Danville Branch of Poppy Bank at 680 Hartz Avenue. Photo: Poppy Bank

4th branch in Contra Costa County

The new branch of Poppy Bank in Danville will celebrate its Grand Opening with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.

About Poppy Bank

Since opening their first branch in January 2005, Poppy Bank has grown to $7 Billion in assets with 26 branches across the San Francisco Bay Area, including Walnut Creek Downtown and Rossmoor, and San Ramon in Contra Costa County, as well as in the Roseville-Sacramento Area, Greater Los Angeles, Orange County and Greater San Diego Areas. They also have ATM’s in Concord and Antioch.

The bank also has lenders in Northern and Southern California, as well as in Nevada, Arizona and Texas. Their commitment to providing the best products and services has propelled their success and garnered national recognition of their performance. Poppy Bank is 5-star rated by BauerFinancial, the nation’s leading independent bank and credit union rating firm and is recognized as one of the strongest financial institutions in the country. Poppy Bank has also been ranked as one of the best-performing banks in the nation by the ICBA. The Bank is governed by a strong team of Executive Officers and a dedicated Board of Directors formed entirely by accomplished business leaders. They exist to meet the banking needs of their clients and to make a positive difference in the communities we serve.

Poppy Bank specializes in business lending including commercial loans and lines of credit, commercial real estate, construction and SBA/USDA loans. They have built a reputation of responding quickly to loan requests, turning applications around expeditiously and efficiently closing loans through a streamlined, hassle-free process. In addition, they offer a full array of personal and business banking products and services including deposit products, cash management services and ACH processing.

With Corporate Offices in Santa Rosa, they are the 19-time winner of Best Places to Work and have been named the Best Business Bank in the North Bay by NorthBay biz magazine.

Stop in and see them today at any one of their convenient locations, open an account online or contact them to learn more about how Poppy Bank is the solution for all of your banking needs.

For more information about Poppy Bank visit www.poppy.bank

To attend the Grand Opening and ribbon cutting RSVP: Branch Manager Andres Pinopena at apinopena@poppy.bank. The Danville Branch is located at 680 Hartz Avenue.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Four more arrests made in San Ramon jewelry store smash and grab armed robbery

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Surveillance video footage shows about 20 masked suspects entered Heller’s Jewelers in San Ramon for the smash and grab armed robbery on Monday. Source: Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) / X

Out of 23 suspects who stole over $1 million of merchandise; all from Oakland, one was arrested twice before in September

By Allen D. Payton

Four more arrests have been made in the smash and grab armed robbery of a San Ramon jewelry store on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. San Ramon Police Chief Denton Carlson said the seven suspects in custody range in ages from 17 to 31. According to Lt. Leysy Pelayo of the SRPD Investigations Division they are Jacques Samuel, 18, Deandre Demisse, Jr., 19, and Jahkeal McGlothin, 18 and an unnamed 17-year-old juvenile. All four are from Oakland. They are among 23 suspects who stole over $1 million of merchandise.

As previously reported, three men have been charged by the Contra Costa DA’s Office with orchestrating the heist, Michael Lamont Ray, Jr., 31 and Ira Raheem Austin, 19, of San Francisco, and Jimmy Mack Ray, 27, of Vallejo.  Michael Ray is being held on $300K bail, Jimmy Ray with a history of arrests dating back to 2017 is being held on no bail and Austin bonded out of custody as of Wednesday, Sept. 24.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office McGlothin is Black and was out of custody as of Wednesday night, Sept. 24 with no charges filed and Demisse was released from custody on Thursday with no charges filed.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot, nine-inch tall, 215-pound Samuel (born 7/16/2007) is Black and being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on no bail. He currently has no scheduled court date. According to localcrimenews.com, Samuel is from San Francisco and was previously arrested by S.F.P.D. twice on Sept. 9, 2025, for kidnapping, grand theft, carrying a loaded firearm on a person or in a vehicle while in a public place, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, removing, destroying or  damaging a wireless communication device to prevent summoning assistance or law enforcement, evasion with wanton disregard for safety and driving without a license. He was also arrested that same day for carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony and again, for evasion with wanton disregard for safety.

More than $1 million of fine jewelry stolen during smash and grab armed robbery of San Ramon store

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Surveillance video footage shows about 20 masked suspects entered Heller Jewelers in San Ramon for the smash and grab armed robbery on Monday. Screenshot surce: Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) on X

Several of 20 suspects detained following chases into Oakland, Dublin  

By Lt. Mike Pistello, San Ramon Police Department

On Monday, September 22, 2025, at 1:50 p.m., San Ramon Police Department personnel responded to Heller Jewelers, located at 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, for a take-over style armed robbery. Approximately 20 masked individuals entered the store and began smashing display cases, taking numerous items. Several suspects were armed with handguns, and at least one suspect fired rounds through the front entrance. Fortunately, no one was injured, and there is no ongoing danger to the public.

The suspects fled the scene in awaiting cars they had staged in the City Center valet parking area. San Ramon Police Officers pursued some of the involved vehicles but terminated due to the inherent danger to the public and because of air support was overhead and available to continue tracking the suspect vehicle.

Law Enforcement air support tracked the suspects through Contra Costa and into Alameda County. Several suspects were detained at two locations in Oakland and a second location in Dublin.

See surveillance camera and drone video footage included in the NBC Bay Area which reported police said the thieves “helped themselves to more than $1 million of fine jewelry.”

San Ramon Detectives will tirelessly continue their investigation into this incident and ask anyone who may have witnessed the robbery to contact Detective Corporal Kevin Tjahjadi at (925) 733-7316.

The San Ramon Police Department would like to thank the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and the Oakland Police Department for their assistance. This incident is still under active investigation, and we will not be releasing any additional information until it is appropriate, as it may compromise the ongoing investigative efforts.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Street racing enforcement in Danville ends with cars in impound lot

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One of two cars impounded following a street racing incident in early September. Photo: Danville PD

By Danville Police Department

Earlier this month, Danville Police officers observed two vehicles racing at nearly double the posted 30 MPH speed limit on San Ramon Valley Boulevard.

One driver was stopped at the scene, while the second vehicle was later identified through license plate reader technology and impounded for 30 days.

We remain committed to keeping our community safe and will take strong enforcement action against reckless driving and street racing.

72-year-old driver in March fatal collision in Danville arrested

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Andrew Chao held on $50,000 bail

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff and Jenn Starnes, PIO, Town of Danville

DANVILLE, CA: On March 1, 2025, at about 1:15 p.m., Danville police officers responded to a traffic collision at the intersection of Sycamore Valley Road and Camino Ramon. When officers arrived, they discovered a minivan and a truck involved in a collision, with the truck overturned. A female passenger in the truck was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the minivan sustained minor injuries.

According to a report by DanvilleSanRamon.com, the victim was later identified as 57-year-old Sandy Hall of San Leandro.

Detectives from the Danville Police Department launched an investigation into the collision. Last month, detectives presented the case to the Contra Costa D.A.’s Office which filed felony vehicular manslaughter charges against the driver of the minivan. An arrest warrant was issued for the driver, who was arrested Friday afternoon,  August 15, 2025, by Danville police officers.

He is identified as 72-year-old Andrew Chao of Danville (born 12/8/1952). He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility for manslaughter. He is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.

According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, the six-foot tall, 160-pound Chao has a court date scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 1:30 p.m. in Martinez Superior Court Dept. 5.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

IED used in early morning San Ramon Target store ATM burglary

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FBI called in, suspect(s) sought

By San Ramon Police Department

On Sunday, July 20, 2025, at 2:19 AM, Officers from the San Ramon Police Department responded to a commercial burglary at Target, 2610 Bishop Drive. Upon their arrival, they discovered an improvised explosive device had been used to gain entry to an ATM machine.  No one was injured due to the explosion, but damage was sustained to a portion of the store’s interiors near the eastern public entrance.

Due to the nature of this investigation, the FBI was contacted, and they responded to the crime scene. The FBI processed the crime scene for the remainder of the day.

There was no immediate danger to the community, and we are thankful no innocent bystanders were injured. The San Ramon Police Department is working with the FBI on this investigation, and we ask anyone with information regarding the incident to contact Detective Hugh Cotton at mailto:hcotton@sanramon.ca.gov.

The San Ramon Police Department would like to formally thank the San Francisco FBI office for their assistance with this investigation.

Cleanup in Alamo part of nationwide effort Saturday, May 17

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Volunteers of the Adopt-A-Block cleanup drive organized by DSNDP in collaboration with the Maintenance Services Department in Alameda County, CA on March 22nd, 2025. Photo: DSNDP

Dr. Shri Nanasaheb Dharmadhikari Pratishthan (DSNDP), a global nonprofit organization, has been running various cleanliness drives and tree plantation-conservation programs across 113 cities in the USA in collaboration with the government.

DSNDP prioritizes working towards fostering a cleaner and greener environment. Since July 2022, with the nationwide cleanliness drive initiative, DSNDP has expressed deep commitment to maintaining the beauty of America by adopting 18 States and 76 cities, pledging to keep them clean and litter-free, which align with the US government’s initiative.  These ongoing nationwide cleanliness drives have engaged 3,022 dedicated DSNDP volunteers to collect 47,250 pounds of trash.

DSNDP is also actively engaged in Tree Plantation and Conservation across 15 states and 37 cities engaging 766 volunteers and resulting in a total of 23,973 trees planted to date.

On Saturday, May 17th, DSNDP is conducting a cleanliness drive with an aim to foster a balanced ecosystem in collaboration with the Contra Costa County, Public Works Department in Alamo, California.

Event Date and Time: Saturday, May 17, 2025 between 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm PST.

Location: Livorna Road, Alamo

Contra Costa Transportation Authority hosts 10th Annual Redefining Mobility Summit April 22

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Featuring latest innovations in transportation technology  

San Ramon, Calif.- The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) will host the 10th annual Redefining Mobility Summit (RMS) in San Ramon on Tuesday, April 22. RMS, which started in 2015, has grown from a regional meeting to a global gathering of government, industry, and international (from Finland to Japan among others) transportation leaders. The day-long summit features interactive sessions and dynamic and virtual-reality demonstrations of how cutting-edge technology is paving the way for the future of transportation.

CCTA’s Executive Director, Tim Haile, will present awards to two Contra Costa County students who entered an art and design contest. The first-place winner designed an “ideal” intersection using the online gaming platform Roblox, and the second-place winner created a short film of how they use Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) daily.

Also in attendance will be Contra Costa County’s Teacher of the Year and Dr. Cristian Gaedicke, who will discuss how they use STEM education to inspire their students to imagine and design what’s next for transit.

The Summit will be held from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM at the Roundhouse at Bishop Ranch, 2600 Camino Ramon in San Ramon.

A welcome reception will be held Monday, April 21 at 6:00 p.m.

Agenda

8:00 AM – 8:45 AM Breakfast and Networking

8:45 AM – 9:00 AM Welcome

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Panel: Smart Cities, Smart Solutions

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Student Showcase

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Panel: Building the Workforce of Tomorrow

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM Art & Design Awards

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Lunch and Demo Zone

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Panel: New Innovative Business Models

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM Coffee and Conversation Break

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Panel: The Next Frontier of Autonomous Mobility

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM Closing Remarks

Tickets are $395 per person plus fee to attend. To register and for more information visit The 10th Annual Redefining Mobility Summit, Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

Canadian man sentenced for “sextortion” of Contra Costa County minor

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Arrested in 2021 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador for multiple online child exploitation offences

Multi-agency effort

Sentenced to 2 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, must register as a sex offender for 10 years

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office

A 25-year-old man from Gulf Island, Canada, has been sentenced to prison for sexually extorting a minor in Contra Costa County in 2020, in what is commonly referred to as a “Sextortion” attack.

In the fall of 2019, Nicholas Fahey used a social media application to contact a minor in Contra Costa County and solicited sexually explicit images from the victim. After the victim complied, Fahey sent the victim a series of threats, indicating he would release the images of the victim unless the victim complied with his demands for more photographs.

The investigation was referred to the Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Fahey was identified as the suspect through an investigation of his social media accounts. Ultimately, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested Fahey at his home in Bay Bulls, Canada, located in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Fahey was charged on May 21, 2021, in Canada’s version of Superior Court.

On January 23, 2025, Fahey was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years. Fahey will also serve a term of three years of supervised release.

“This investigation highlights the shared commitment of the ICAC Task Force and HSI to pursue criminals, even those operating beyond U.S. borders,” said District Attorney Diana Becton. “Parents need to understand that individuals who prey on minors online are not restricted by national or state boundaries. Those who use the internet to harm our youth should know that my office will collaborate with law enforcement agencies like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to seek justice for the victims in our county.”

Sextortion is the most common crime targeting children on social media. According to the FBI, between 2021 and 2023, 12,600 children in the United States were victims of sextortion, resulting in at least 20 suicides.

To report sextortion, contact your local law enforcement agency or file a report with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about the risks associated with smartphone use and social media. If parents, educators, or organizations are interested in presentations on topics like smartphones, social media, or our Vigilant Parents initiative, please contact the District Attorney’s Office at DAOffice@contracostada.org.

According to Corporal Jolene Garland, Media Relations Officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Newfoundland and Labrador, on April 29, 2021, then-twenty-two-year-old Nicholas Fahey of Gull Island was arrested, following an investigation by the RCMP/RNC Integrated Internet Child Exploitation (IICE) team. He is charged with multiple online child exploitation offences.

The investigation began in early 2020, after police received reports from the US Department of Homeland Security that two American youth had been exploited online by a resident of this province. A local investigation by IICE led to a search warrant that was executed on a Gull Island residence in July of 2020.

Fahey is now charged with the following criminal offences:
• Possession of Child Pornography
• Transmission of Child Pornography
• Making Sexually Explicit Material Available to a Child
• Luring a Child (x2)
• Indecent Act (exposure)
• Extortion (x2)
• Invitation to Sexual Touching

Fahey was released from custody on conditions designed to protect the general public and was scheduled to appear in court on June 16, 2021.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to exercise proper supervision of children while online and to foster regular discussions with their children about online safety.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

13 arrested during Internet Crimes Against Children operation

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Photos source: Walnut Creek PD

Multi-agency effort

By Walnut Creek Police Department

Walnut Creek PD recently hosted an extensive and successful Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) operation, partnering with numerous local and federal agencies to safeguard children in our communities. This collaborative effort resulted in 13 arrests, showcasing the strength of teamwork and technology in the fight against child exploitation.

We’re proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to make a difference. Swipe through for a behind-the-scenes look at the operation and its results.

Photos source: Walnut Creek PD

More information regarding specific individuals and their pending charges will be made available to the public once the cases have been reviewed by the CCCDA’s Office.

Participating agencies included Contra Costa District Attorney, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, and Brentwood, Concord, Danville, Moraga, Oakley, Pleasant Hill, Novato, San Jose and San Francisco Police Departments.

Together, we stand united in protecting our most vulnerable.