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Four arrested in 'beer run' robbery
By Amanda Covarrubias, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
12:14 PM PDT, July 15, 2008
A night of partying turned into a night in the slammer Monday when two youths and two adults were arrested on suspicion of stealing beer from a gas station, two mini-marts and a convenience store in Redlands, authorities said today.
At one stop on the "beer run," a suspect even allegedly brandished a handgun, said Carl Baker, a spokesman for the Redlands Police Department.
Police were first alerted to the situation shortly before 9:30 p.m. Monday when they received a report of a robbery at the Valero gas station at the corner of Texas Street and Colton Avenue.
Four suspects entered the convenience store, grabbed several cartons of beer and ran, police said.
As they fled, one of the suspects allegedly lifted his shirt and displayed a handgun in his waistband, Baker said.
After viewing surveillance video of the robbery, police identified two of the suspects as 26-year-old Rafael Acuna, a parolee, and a 17-year-old Redlands boy.
While police were investigating the robbery, three more incidents were reported at a local 7-Eleven and two nearby AM/PM stores.
A witness at the 7-Eleven identified Acuna as one of the suspects after being shown a photograph of him, and the witness told police the suspects drove off in a white Ford Bronco.
While police were interviewing the witness, they received a call of a loud party in progress in the area of Cook Street and Central Avenue.
Knowing that Acuna had friends in the apartments there, investigators went to the scene, where they spotted a white Ford Bronco parked outside.
Inside the apartment, police found Acuna and the 17-year-old, as well as a 13-year-old Redlands boy, who had also been identified on the surveillance video.
Police recovered some of the stolen beer inside the apartment and more inside the Bronco.
Acuna and the two teens were arrested on suspicion of robbery, burglary, criminal conspiracy and criminal gang enhancement. Acuna also will be charged with parole violation, Baker said.
Police also arrested the owner of the Ford Bronco, Alexander Sicairos, 20, of Mentone, who was wanted on an unrelated felony warrant.
Acuna and Sicairos were taken to Central Detention Center in San Bernardino and the teens to juvenile hall.
By Amanda Covarrubias, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
12:14 PM PDT, July 15, 2008
A night of partying turned into a night in the slammer Monday when two youths and two adults were arrested on suspicion of stealing beer from a gas station, two mini-marts and a convenience store in Redlands, authorities said today.
At one stop on the "beer run," a suspect even allegedly brandished a handgun, said Carl Baker, a spokesman for the Redlands Police Department.
Police were first alerted to the situation shortly before 9:30 p.m. Monday when they received a report of a robbery at the Valero gas station at the corner of Texas Street and Colton Avenue.
Four suspects entered the convenience store, grabbed several cartons of beer and ran, police said.
As they fled, one of the suspects allegedly lifted his shirt and displayed a handgun in his waistband, Baker said.
After viewing surveillance video of the robbery, police identified two of the suspects as 26-year-old Rafael Acuna, a parolee, and a 17-year-old Redlands boy.
While police were investigating the robbery, three more incidents were reported at a local 7-Eleven and two nearby AM/PM stores.
A witness at the 7-Eleven identified Acuna as one of the suspects after being shown a photograph of him, and the witness told police the suspects drove off in a white Ford Bronco.
While police were interviewing the witness, they received a call of a loud party in progress in the area of Cook Street and Central Avenue.
Knowing that Acuna had friends in the apartments there, investigators went to the scene, where they spotted a white Ford Bronco parked outside.
Inside the apartment, police found Acuna and the 17-year-old, as well as a 13-year-old Redlands boy, who had also been identified on the surveillance video.
Police recovered some of the stolen beer inside the apartment and more inside the Bronco.
Acuna and the two teens were arrested on suspicion of robbery, burglary, criminal conspiracy and criminal gang enhancement. Acuna also will be charged with parole violation, Baker said.
Police also arrested the owner of the Ford Bronco, Alexander Sicairos, 20, of Mentone, who was wanted on an unrelated felony warrant.
Acuna and Sicairos were taken to Central Detention Center in San Bernardino and the teens to juvenile hall.