San Francisco residents Ervin Lacayo, 28, and Wendy Alvarez, 24, were taken into custody at the N. Santa Cruz Avenue Sharper Image store as they attempted to purchase merchandise with gift cards that had been reported stolen.

Both were charged with two counts of burglary and one count of possession of stolen property. Both have since been released on bail.

Following the Nov. 10 arrests, the Los Gatos­Monte Sereno Police Department was contacted by "about five different jurisdictions"—including Santa Clara, Milpitas and Hayward—"with similar cases involving the same suspects," said Sgt. Tim Morgan.

Police are investigating the burglaries and investigating the possibility of arresting Claudia Lacayo, 29, who lives with the suspects.

On Nov. 30, Ervin Lacayo and Alvarez went to the Los Gatos Sharper Image and purchased more than $200 worth of merchandise with a gift card. At the time, management did not realize that the gift card was among those reported stolen.

The two returned to the store a week later, and store employees recognized the suspects and called the police. Officers Clint Tada and Jon Atkinson confronted Lacayo and Alvarez at the checkout counter, arresting them for burglary. Upon searching the two, police found 11 gift cards.

Police searched the San Francisco home of Lacayo and Alvarez. Along with more gift cards from Sharper Image, officers found purchases from the store including video camcorders, cameras and home entertainment equipment—"all electronic equipment except an eyebrow plucker," Morgan said. The property totaled more than $10,000.

Some of the property was in the room of Claudia Lacayo, who arrived home during the police search.

According to Morgan, police are trying to determine if Lacayo had purchased some of the property in order to charge her with burglary, or if she is merely to be charged with possession of stolen property.

Morgan said the gift cards were stolen from the company that sends the cards out for Sharper Image when they are purchased. "The company that did that had about $20,000 worth of gift cards stolen," Morgan said. Claudia Lacayo may have been employed by that company, Morgan said.

No arraignment dates have been set for the two who were arrested, but more charges are expected from other agencies.