Man arrested in serial flower shop burglaries, police say

(Photo courtesy of San Mateo Police Department)

Posted: May 28, 2023 / 12:09 PM PDT

Updated: May 28, 2023 / 02:52 PM PDT

(BCN) — A man was arrested early Saturday at a San Mateo florist shop where a burglar shattered the glass front door and took two cash registers — not far from another shop that was burglarized the night before, police said.

Andre Murphy, 51, of Oakland was taken into custody about 3 a.m. at Ah Sam Floral Co. when officers on patrol were alerted by a burglar alarm, police said. The burglar had shot out the front glass door with a BB gun and left two cash registers on the sidewalk, police said.

The scene was less than 800 feet from San Mateo Florist & Gift, where someone shattered the glass door and made off with a cash register Thursday night, police said.

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“What in carnation? He couldn’t buy himself flowers, so he broke in and stole a cash register,” police said in a statement Saturday.

Security video showed the clothing worn by a man in Thursday’s burglary matched what Murphy was wearing Saturday, police said.

The only difference was his shoes. A matching pair were found in Murphy’s vehicle, police said. Murphy was arrested and accused of two counts of second-degree burglary.