Male suspect in Home Depot robbery arrested in Danville

Danville police have made an arrest connected to the Home Depot robbery in Pleasanton earlier this month, nabbing transient Steven Proctor, 21, who is accused of driving the getaway car, a gold Lexus, that struck a Home Depot loss prevention agent in the store’s parking lot during the robbery, according to Pleasanton police Sgt. Kurt Schlehuber.

Proctor has been extradited to Alameda County, according to Schlehuber.

The Home Depot security officer was run down by the car as he tried to detain the woman — later identified as 25-year-old Ainslee Smith — who had just stolen several power tools, according to police. Smith then jumped into the vehicle and she and the driver drove away. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate the suspects.

Smith, of Walnut Creek, was arrested March 10 after Pleasanton detectives received a call from agents from Home Depot’s regional loss prevention office, which was also investigating the robbery. The agents provided information of a similar crime that was committed at a the Home Depot earlier in Vacaville, identifying Smith and Proctor as suspects in that robbery, according to Schlehuber.

The Pleasanton Home Depot security officer injured in the robbery reportedly identified Smith when shown a video from the Vacaville store as the one who stole the power tools in Pleasanton.

Smith was located in Fairfield and arrested on suspicion of robbery. She was later booked at Santa Rita Jail on charges of robbery, assault and also possession of methamphetamine.

At the time of her arrest Smith was seated in the front seat of the Lexus that was used in the Pleasanton robbery, according to police. A search of the Lexus resulted in evidence implicating Smith and Proctor, who have a dating relationship, according to Schlehuber.