Palo Alto Man Uses Bike in Crime Spree

A man who allegedly used a bright blue bike as part of short crime spree in south Palo Alto on Thursday evening was arrested later in the day while sitting on bus bench. Police said Brandon Robert Yamagata, 30, was booked Thursday night on an assortment of charges related to a string on incidents that began at SummerWinds Nursery at 725 San Antonio Road. According to police, Yamagata stopped by the nursery shortly before 6 p.m., around closing time, and told an employee, a woman in her 60s, that he needs to use the restroom. Shortly after she let him in, the employee spotted the man in the nursery's office, holding a computer tower. He immediately ran away with the equipment and rode off on a bright blue bicycle, police said. More