Early morning armed robberies could be linked, say police
REDLANDS – Police are still looking for a man who allegedly committed at least one armed robbery early Monday morning and might possibly be related to other similar incidents.
Police were called shortly after 2:30 a.m. when a man in a white utility truck pulled up next to a female driver in the 900 block of East Lugonia Ave., pointed a gun at her and stole her purse.
The suspect, described as a male wearing a mask, crossed over the divider and drove west on Lugonia, said police.
Redlands police have surveillance cameras dispersed throughout the city, but didn’t have one close to this location, said spokesman Carl Baker on Wednesday.
“Generally, we don’t have surveillance cameras in primarily residential areas,” he said. “One of our routine investigation procedures is to review the department’s surveillance video following a crime, not only at the actual location of the incident but on nearby streets to determine in the suspect vehicle passed by a particular camera location.”
The suspect’s white truck, described as a full-sized utility truck, had tool boxes on the side panel.
Baker said police are investigating whether the robbery is related to two other similar incidents, one occurring shortly before 2 a.m. on westbound Interstate 10 near Tennessee St. in Redlands and another occurring in Mentone less than 15 minutes after the Redlands robbery.
Both the California Highway Patrol and San Bernardino County Sheriff are investigating.
Baker said crucial evidence has been developed by video surveillance in other cases, “as a result of a camera picking up a suspect vehicle in another nearby location immediately before or after a crime.
“One of our routine investigation procedures is to review the department’s surveillance video following a crime, not only at the actual location of the incident but on nearby streets to determine in the suspect vehicle passed by a particular camera location.”
“Obviously, that depends on the camera location and which way it is pointing at the time of the incident, or whether we get a report in time to move the cameras and look for the suspect.”
There is a possibility that surveillance video picked up the white truck, but Baker said, “We aren’t going to comment on what evidence, if any, investigators have gathered in an ongoing investigation.”
Baker said there were no injuries in any of the other incidents.
Anyone with information about the Redlands robbery can call the Redlands police dispatch at 909-798-7681.
Read more:
Redlands Daily Facts: Police investigating early-morning armed robbery
Redlands Police Department – Press Release: Police investigating early-morning armed robbery
