Pleasant Hill Police Activity Linked To CVS Robbery

PLEASANT HILL, CA — Police from numerous agencies swarmed Pleasant Hill Thursday in pursuit of the suspects in a robbery Thursday morning of a CVS pharmacy in Benicia, and succeeded in arresting all three individuals believed to be involved in the crime, a Benicia police lieutenant confirmed. The alleged robbery happened at about 11:15 at CVS, 2100 Columbus Parkway, Lt. Damiean Sylvester said in a video shot for NBC Bay Area.

"...Two individuals went back to the pharmacy area and jumped the counter and stole a bunch of narcotics," Sylvester said. "They fled the scene in a silver [Nissan] Altima and we were able to track that individual here to Pleasant Hill where they abandoned their vehicle and ran off ... "

One of the suspects hid in an apartment complex; the other was apprehended under a freeway ramp, the lieutenant said.

"We conducted an extensive search and were all able to locate all three individuals involved in the robbery," Sylvester said.

Cooperating agencies in the search and apprehension of the suspects included not only Benicia and Pleasant Hill police, but personnel from Martinez and Concord police departments, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office and California Highway Patrol.

Pleasant Hill police alerted the community at about 1:10 p.m. Thursday that law enforcement were searching for a man presumed to be armed in the area of Boyd Road and Contra Costa Boulevard.

"We are currently searching for [a] black male adult in a black hooded sweatshirt," Pleasant Hill police said in their initial Nixle alert to the community. "Subject is presumed to be armed."

Just after 1:30 p.m., police reported that all suspects thought to be outstanding in the case had been detained. Pleasant Hill police said they planned on releasing more details about the case later Thursday.

Before any official statements were given by authorities, several news agencies reported that the heavy police activity in Pleasant Hill involved the search for suspects in an armed robbery of a CVS pharmacy in Benicia.

A news photographer posted on Twitter about the incident, saying three suspects were taken into custody near the I-680 off ramp in Pleasant Hill.

Early reports indicated law enforcement from several agencies were involved in a vehicle pursuit of the suspect and/or suspects.

A Patch reader who inquired about the police activity Thursday afternoon in Pleasant Hill said personnel from multiple law enforcement agencies were blocking off W. Hookston Road near the Gallery Walk townhomes.

Other reports indicated there was police activity near Boulevard Apartments on Contra Costa Boulevard.

Patch will update this post as more information about this incident is confirmed; please refresh the page for the latest.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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