Fairfield man arrested in Bay Area school burglaries targeting teachers’ credit cards

By Tim Fang

Authorities have arrested a Solano County man suspected of burglarizing schools throughout the Bay Area, targeting the credit cards of teachers.

According to Fremont Police, an unnamed elementary school in Fremont reported a suspicious person walking on campus on Oct. 3. Police said when the suspect was confronted by staff, he provided “conflicting explanations” for being at the school and left soon after.

Following the incident, school resource officers received additional reports of items missing from classroom sat schools throughout the Fremont Unified School District.

During an investigation, police identified the suspect as Christopher Britton of Fairfield. Describing him as a “prolific” burglary suspect, Britton was already wanted by authorities in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Solano and Yolo counties for similar thefts on school campuses.

Investigators said Britton targeted classrooms to steal credit cards from teachers, which he used to run up fraudulent purchases at stores.

After identifying the suspect, police said school resource officers “worked tirelessly” to track Britton and prevent further thefts.

On Nov. 3, a Fremont school resource officer conducting a follow-up activity in Walnut Creek found Britton returning a rental vehicle believed to have been used in one of the burglaries. With the help of Walnut Creek police officers, Britton was arrested after he attempted to flee.

“Our educators come to work each day to teach and support our children—they should never have to worry about being targeted by criminals,” Fremont Police SRO Sgt. Richard Hamblin said. “The dedication of our SROs and their collaboration with neighboring agencies made this arrest possible, helping ensure the safety of our schools and staff.”

In a separate statement, police in Livermore said that schools in their community were targeted by Britton.

“We appreciate the swift action and collaboration of our law enforcement partners, including the Fremont Police Department and Walnut Creek Police Department, for apprehending the suspect,” the Livermore Police Department said on social media.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, Britton is being held at the West County Detention Facility without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 14.

Fremont police urged people or schools who may have been victims to contact their local law enforcement agency to file a report.