NBC Bay Area published April 20, 2022: The investigation into the San Jose Home Depot fire suspect’s background has revealed more information on his past alleged thefts in the Bay Area. Robert Handa reports.
NBC News, SF Bay Area
written by Robert Handa
Thursday April 21, 2022
The investigation into the San Jose Home Depot fire suspect’s background has revealed more information about his past alleged thefts.
According to new court documents obtained by NBC Bay Area Wednesday, Dyllin Jaycruz Gogue, 27, is also accused of several other crimes in the Bay Area:
- Guitar Center: Gogue is accused of stealing an electric keyboard and a guitar from a Bay Area Guitar Center location.
- Kohl's: Gogue is also accused of stealing 45 pairs of jeans from a Bay Area Kohl’s location.
- Macy's at Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara: Gogue is facing a separate court hearing for alleged thefts at Macy’s in Valley Fair Mall, including pricey
- Michael Kors bags as well as expensive
- Coco Chanel perfume and clothes.
- New Star Beauty Supply as San Jose’s Eastridge Mall (Mar. 27): Security video from the store appeared to show Gogue stealing an expensive wig. He was stopped by a locked door and had to fend off an employee, who tried to detain him, officials said.
- REI in Sunnyvale: Gogue also faces charges for stealing a cooler, blankets and a knife from the Sunnyvale REI location. He was also caught with counterfeit money and a meth pipe.
- On Tuesday, authorities identified Gogue as the suspect in the massive South San Jose Home Depot fire on April 9, which destroyed the building and caused over $17 million in damages.
Investigators said that they believe Gogue set the Home Depot on fire to distract employees while he stole tools.
The details surrounding Gogue's past alleged crimes stunned San Jose resident Rick Garcia, who was inside the Home Depot when the fire started.
“My immediate thought was ‘Wow!’ (laughs)...you know? I can’t believe I was that close to the person,” he said. “Falls in line with the pattern with things that he’s done. But it’s also pretty scary that it can happen anywhere. He was all over the Bay Area from what I understand."
For Garcia, he said the new developments made him glad he spoke to investigators.
“I actually met with the ATF and I told the inspector that it’s one of two things: either it was electrical or somebody intentionally did this,’” he said.
Investigators said they will continue to look for more people who knew or came across Gogue as well as more incidents.
The list could keep getting longer before his plea hearing on Jun. 1.
If convicted, Gogue could face 14 years to life in prison.
NBC Bay Area published April 20, 2022: Santa Clara County District Attorney on Home Depot Arson Fire Arrest. NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai spoke to Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen about the arrest and investigation into the San Jose Home Depot fire.
NBC Bay Area published April 14, 2022: Suspect in Massive Arson Fire at San Jose Home Depot Has Criminal History. Officials identified the name of the suspect in connection to the massive Home Depot Fire. In addition, prosecutors believe the suspect tried to walk out of the Home Depot with stolen merchandise and allegedly, headed to an East Bay Macy’s for another theft. The suspect is not facing 14 years to life in prison. Sharon Katsuda reports.
NBC News
written by Marlene Lenthang
Wednesday April 20, 2022
A California man has been charged with arson after being accused of lighting a five-alarm fire that destroyed a Home Depot in San Jose earlier this month as he tried to steal a cart full of tools, prosecutors announced.
Dyllin Jaycruz Gogue, 27, was hit with charges including aggravated arson, seven counts of grand theft and three counts of petty theft, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office announced in a news release.
Prosecutors said he intentionally lit the inferno in an aisle of the Home Depot on Blossom Hill Road on April 9.
The flames sent "employees and customers running for their lives,” Santa Clara County DA Jeff Rosen said in a press conference Tuesday, razed the entire 98,827 square foot store, and caused an estimated $17 million in inventory loss, prosecutors said.
The fire was allegedly set the same day Gogue went on a "theft spree," prosecutors said.
Gogue allegedly stole items from a local Bass Pro shop earlier in the day, lit the fire around 5:30 p.m local time (8:30 p.m. ET), and tried to leave Home Depot “with a cart containing tools," the news release stated.
He was stopped by a Home Depot employee and fled in another person’s car then later stole items from a nearby Macy’s.
"Miraculously no one was hurt in this five-alarm fire that was so hot and so large that it could be detected from a satellite in space," Rosen said. "But it came close, far, far too close, to causing many injuries and deaths."
The National Weather Service’s San Francisco office said the heat signature was so large from the fire it was observed from space.
More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze and it took 12 hours to quell, NBC Bay Area reported.
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