SAN LEANDRO, Calif. -- San Leandro police Monday recommended that one of two brothers who survived a fatal tiger mauling at the San Francisco Zoo on Christmas Day be charged with seven felony charges for crimes unrelated to the attack.

Lt. Tom Overton said his agency would ask the Alameda County District Attorney's office to charge Amritpal Dhaliwal, 19, with four counts of burglary and three counts of grand theft for allegedly shoplifting electronic equipment and video games at Target stores in San Leandro, Hayward and Livermore between March 24 and March 27.

The incidents occurred around the same time that Dhaliwal and his brother, 23-year-old Kulbir Dhaliwal, filed claims against the city of San Francisco for being attacked by a Siberian tiger named Tatiana at the San Francisco Zoo on Christmas Day.

A third victim in that incident, 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. of San Jose, died after being attacked by the tiger. The tiger was shot to death by police.

The claims are the first step toward a possible lawsuit against the city of San Francisco.

According to Overton, Amritpal Dhaliwal was arrested shortly after 6:30 p.m. on March 27 after a security guard at the Target store at the Bayfair Center at 15555 East 14th St. in San Leandro observed him stuffing items inside his pants.

Overton said Dhaliwal walked past all the store registers, never attempted to pay for the concealed items and walked outside of the store, where Target security stopped him and put him under citizen's arrest.

The concealed items were two Nintendo Wii controllers valued at a total of about $80, according to a police report on the incident.

Overton said Dhaliwal was taken to the San Leandro jail but was released after posting $1,500 bail.

He said San Leandro police continued their investigation because Target security officials said they believed Dhaliwal also shoplifted from other stores.

Security videotapes has since indicated that Dhaliwal allegedly shoplifted items from Target stores in Hayward on March 24 and at Livermore on March 25 and March 27 in addition to shoplifting from the San Leandro store on March 27.

Overton said police believe the incidents were more than petty theft because videotapes indicate that Dhaliwal loaded up his shopping basket with items and then went straight for the exit without paying for them.

He said police were recommending that grand theft charges be filed because the estimated total loss is more than $1,000.