Botched Robbery Outside Google HQ: 2 Arrested, Police Say

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- Two East Bay men were arrested Tuesday after they tried to rob a victim of his laptop computer near Google's headquarters in Mountain View, police said. At 1:30 p.m., officers responded to reports of a robbery in the 1600 block of Amphitheatre Parkway. On their way to the scene, they learned a vehicle involved had just crashed into a pole, according to police.

At the scene, police learned that the victim had arranged to meet the two suspects to sell his laptop. When the suspects arrived, they asked the victim to sit inside their Nissan sedan while they inspected the computer, police said.

Inside the car, one suspect handed cash to the victim. As the victim reached to take the money, the other suspect quickly accelerated the car and drove through the parking lot in an attempt to get the victim to fall
out of the car and not receive the payment, police said.

The victim tumbled out of the car and began yelling for help. A passerby and a Google security guard heard the victim, and as they ran over to help, the suspect's car hit a pole and stalled, police said.

The suspects jumped out of the car but were quickly detained, police said.

Police arrived and took the suspects into custody. They were identified as 20-year-old Luis Bravo of San Pablo and 19-year-old Bomani Bassette of El Cerrito.

Bravo and Bassette were arrested and booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping during a robbery.

The victim suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene, police said.

By Bay City News Service

Photo via Mountain View Police Department