Two East Palo Alto Residents Named Among Home Invasion Robbery Suspects

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - Three people suspected of breaking into a Mountain View home where they stole valuables and forced a resident into a closet Wednesday afternoon were arrested in San Jose, police said.

The suspects were identified as 23-year-old Christian Salinas and 21-year-old Giovanna Vargas, both of East Palo Alto, and 22-year-old Nancy Alvarado of San Jose, police said.

Around 3 p.m., the victim called officers to report a man struck her head with a gun inside her Annie Laurie Avenue residence, around the corner from Devonshire Park, police said.

The victim added the man and a woman broke into the home and forced her into a closet, according to police.

By the time officers arrived to the residence, the suspects had already fled in a car with property from the home, police said.

Officers and detectives worked with the Santa Clara County Regional Auto Theft Task Force to find the suspects in a shopping center at Story and Kings roads in East San Jose, according to police.

Task force detectives were able to stop the suspects as they left the center and detained three people inside, police said.

Salinas was the driver of the vehicle while Vargas and Alvarado were passengers, according to police.

The detectives found a loaded handgun and property from the home inside the car, according to police.

The suspects were each arrested on suspicion of burglary, robbery, kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

Salinas and Vargas were also suspected of probation violation and other alleged crimes, according to police.

Alvarado was additionally arrested on suspicion of conspiracy, police said.

The trio was booked into Santa Clara County Jail without bail, according to police.

-Bay City News, images via Mountain View police