Teens Connected to Multiple Peninsula Robberies Caused I-880 Fiasco: Police

PHOTO: San Mateo County sheriff's officials say this weapon was recovered from a stolen vehicle that was connected to the robbery suspects. CREDIT: San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

--

By Bay City News Service:

Four juveniles were arrested in Alameda County Thursday after fleeing a robbery scene in Millbrae and crashing during a Fremont police pursuit, San Mateo County sheriff's officials said Friday.

The alleged gang members fled from the crash scene and a search of the area shut down both directions of Interstate Highway 880 on Thursday afternoon.

SEE ALSO:

• I-880 Back-Up: Suspects in Custody

The four suspects could also be connected to robberies earlier this week in San Francisco, Foster City and Millbrae and possibly in the East Bay, San Mateo County Sheriff's spokesman Detective Salvador Zuno said.

At 2 p.m. Thursday, one of the suspects pushed a 31-year-old woman to the ground at the Millbrae Express Car Wash at 310 Adrian Road in Millbrae and pointed a gun at her before taking her purse and some electronic devices.

The woman was not injured.

Deputies and police believe the suspects then fled across the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge into the East Bay in a white Honda Civic.

Fremont police tried to stop the suspects on Interstate Highway 880, but the driver did not yield, Fremont police spokeswoman Officer Geneva Bosques said.

The driver crashed the car on the highway and the four ran, prompting a search of the area around the highway between Central and Mowry avenues. Law enforcement closed both directions of the highway during the search between 3:30 and 4 p.m., backing up traffic in the area.

One suspect was found in the bushes along I-880, Bosques said. An hour after the robbery, all four had been apprehended. All four are either from San Leandro or Hayward.

Officers found a gun that may have been used in the robbery of the woman and evidence of other robberies in the Honda, which was reported stolen, deputies said.

The four youths were taken to county juvenile hall. Several law enforcement agencies are involved in an investigation of the robberies, according to sheriff's officials.

Anyone with information about the robbery of the woman is encouraged to call San Mateo County sheriff's Detective Victor Bertolozzi at (650) 259-2321 or email him at vbertolozzi@smcgov.org. Callers who wish to be anonymous can call (800) 547-2700.