Suspect in SLO Big 5 burglary arrested after pursuit in Arroyo Grande

Sara Kassabian, Chloe Jones
·1 min read

The San Luis Obispo man suspected of crashing his Prius into Big 5 Sporting Goods and stealing seven guns was arrested in Arroyo Grande after nearly five days at-large.

Michael Giovanni Benadiba, 25, was spotted at midnight Thursday by San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s deputies near the intersection of Pike and Elm in Arroyo Grande, according to a news release from San Luis Obispo Police Department.

Benadiba ran from deputies on foot but was arrested after a short pursuit. He was booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail on multiple charges, the release said.

Police are looking for a San Luis Obispo man they say crashed his Prius into Big 5 Sporting Goods at the Marigold Center and then made off with seven guns, which were found in a nearby field.
Police are looking for a San Luis Obispo man they say crashed his Prius into Big 5 Sporting Goods at the Marigold Center and then made off with seven guns, which were found in a nearby field.

Benadiba was charged with three felonies for burglary, seven counts of firearm theft and felon possessing a firearm, the release said. He was also charged with misdemeanor vandalism, obstructing a police officer and possession of paraphernalia.

Detectives also linked Benadiba to a commercial burglary two weeks prior and more charges will be filed related to that incident, according to the release.

It’s not the first time Benadiba has been in trouble with the law in San Luis Obispo.

Benadiba was one of three men convicted of setting fire to the computer lab at San Luis Obispo High School in 2016.

And in July 2019, court records show, he pleaded no contest to shoplifting after he was charged with eight misdemeanor counts after being arrested on suspicion of stealing $162.85 in merchandise from the Cork n’ Bottle liquor store on four separate occasions and $467.06 in goods from California Fresh Market in four separate incidents.

Court record show he pleaded no contest to one charge of shoplifting and was sentenced to 188 days in County Jail in July 2019, which he had already served by the time he was sentenced.

Benadiba’s bail is set for $255,000.