Banning Police nab armed robbers who held up team

BANNING – Police may have stopped a crime spree after arresting two men on Tuesday who reportedly robbed a 16-year-old boy with a shotgun.
Joseph Allen Baker, 19 of Yucaipa, and Serpentor Karnage Williams, 19 of Banning, were arrested as the suspected driver and gunman, held on suspicion of armed robbery and possession of stolen property from a previous night’s burglary.

Joseph Allen Baker

Serpentor Karnage Williams

“That’s as far as we know so far,” said police spokeswoman Stephanie Colbert on Thursday. “I’ve sent (the file) to the district attorney’s office so they can review it.”
She said other burglaries and similar crimes will be scrutinized to see if there are any connections to Williams and Baker.
The teen told police that he was walking down East Nicolet St. when the suspects drove up next to him in a white van near Alessandro Rd. One of the men pointed a shotgun at the teen, demanding his money and cell phone, then sped away, according to police.
The teen ran to nearby Nicolet Middle School, called 911 and told police he recognized both men, one of whom had been a neighbor. Using a photo lineup, the teen picked out both men.
Three hours later, police spotted a GMC Ventura van matching the teen’s description near Murray and Hoffer streets, only a short distance away from the armed robbery site.
“It was only a short distance away,” said Colbert, “from where (the crime) occurred. The units were already in the area and they saw the van.”
Police inspected the van, discovering a black Remington 870 shotgun, along with other property stolen during a burglary on Monday.
Colbert said that Williams and the victim “knew each other. They were neighbors for a little while.”
There were no injuries reported.

Read More:

Banning-Beaumont Patch: Two MenArrested in Alleged Shotgun Robbery Near Nicolet Middle School

The Press Enterprise: BANNING: Two arrested in drive-by robbery

MyDesert.com: Two accused of robbing teen in Banning