Couple arrested for string of Atascadero burglaries

February 27, 2014

burglerAtascadero police arrested a couple earlier this month for committing a string of burglaries last year.

Between August and December, four residential burglaries occurred in Atascadero, in which thieves nabbed jewelry and electronics from residents’ homes while they slept. The loss from the burglaries totaled more than $100,000.

Ashlee Sylvester and Cecil Yahtin, both 22, are accused of stealing several items and selling them to pawn shops and other second-hand dealers in San Luis Obispo County and Santa Maria. The couple is suspected of, on one occasion, stealing items from a bedroom in which residents were sleeping.

Officers arrested Sylvester and Yahtin in San Luis Obispo on Feb. 10. During the traffic stop, officers found several items in their vehicle linking the couple to the burglaries.

Yahtin is currently on parole for committing several similar residential burglaries in Atascadero in 2010.

Both Sylvester and Yahtin are charged with possession of stolen property and criminal conspiracy. They remain in San Luis Obispo County Jail with Yahtin’s bail set at $50,000 and Sylvester’s bail at $20,000.

 


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First i would like to say WHY DOES APD GET THE THANKS?! A re you kidding me Theo, have you had any recent police contact? 80% of them are crooked low life scum and will be finding themselves in some pretty heavy court proceedings if they cant put a stop to the harassment, profiling, bullying and criminalization they partake in. Also, they obviously weren’t the arresting agency and from what i have been told, they (Detective Scott Pipan namely) have been harassing the homeless in Atascadero for these robbery strings, typical stereotyping on behalf of the “wonderful Atascadero Police Dept”. Second why werent these horrible people charged with HOME INVASION? These poor victims were SLEEPING and they entered their homes with intentions to rob and most likely harm them if they hapoened upon the robbery in progress. I would be outraged if i were one of the victims, $20,000 bail, seriously?


I keep reading that story over and over, as well as the edition in the TT. I don’t see where you get the notion that some other agency arrested the pair. As far as robbery versus burglary., the law is clear. Robbery is the felonious taking of personal property in the

possession of another, from his person or immediate presence, and

against his will, accomplished by means of force or fear.Sleeping people can’t be robbed. Burglary : Every person who enters any house, room, apartment, tenement,

shop, warehouse, store, mill, barn, stable, outhouse or other

building, tent, vessel,….with intent to commit grand or petit

larceny or any felony is guilty of burglary.Also, it’s the DA who ultimately decides what charges to be pursued. Bail is set by statute as well and not determined by the police or any other law enforcement agency. Your issues with the APD are well documented here on this forum by your prolific diatribes against them, but please try to keep the imaginary separated from the factual, in your head as well as the written polemic.


Moral of the story:

DON’T live in Atascadero !


Sounds like a waste of time to arrest career felons who will be out again on “parole” or “good behavior” within a few months, again terrorizing good people where they sleep. Isn’t it time we as a society become sick of seeing “revolving door” criminal justice let these people rapidly go free to commit dozens of burglaries when they are only charged with four.


Second time burglary losers should draw 15+ years. Third time, throw away the key. Oh, no, wait, liberals have gutted “three strikes” so a quiet burglary is NOT a violent felony, and it’s like stealing a slice of pie which is cooling in a kitchen window somewhere.


The felons get a pat on the back, three “hots” and a cot in some jail, rapidly pushed back on us good folks by Jerry Brown and liberal judges who claim it’s “inhuman” to jail felons in close quarters on a state level.


I’m so tired of this, I’m tired of hearing my own rant each time recidivist felons are re-arrested for bringing fear and sense of violation to those of who pay Ian Parkinson and Jerry Brown’s salary.


Though I agree that repeat offenders that target others in their crimes should get increasingly severe sentences, we have bigger problems with our criminal “justice” system that need solving first.


One big reason we keep letting such people out early is that we have too many people in prison for crimes that don’t warrant such sentences. The biggest and best publicized group of victimless criminals are those that sell/grow marijuana — particularly for legitimate medical uses (until very recently) but even for recreational use when the user is a consenting adult. The tendency of prosecutors to load up and/or exaggerate charges as a negotiating tool to make their conviction record look better also creates more inmates out of folks who aren’t all that much of a threat to society. If YOU aren’t willing to pay a lot more in taxes to fund the huge increase in prison space needed, quit complaining.


Another reason is that we rely too much on punishment as a deterrent in situations where there is a reasonable chance for rehabilitation (particularly young first offenders.) While the “stick” of punishment is necessary to get their attention, combining it with counseling and diversion programs would be more effective in reducing the recidivism rate. That would cost more in the short run but would free up cell space for the hard cores and recover some of the direct costs in reduced incarceration and court expenses. (Note that such programs are not 100% effective — maybe not even 70%. But the outcome is still better than throwing all those convicted of crimes into what amounts to a graduate school for crooks.)


Actually I think it was the SLO Police but I think the Atascadero PD are great too! If only the Sheriff’s Dept. and the National Coast could work together and nab those panga boats coming ashore.


Great job! and thanks to APD!


and for the record, my like was meant as a dislike, not a like. even though i do like how funny your comment is :)