Rite Aid Robbery Ends with Two Arrests

On Tuesday morning, January 8, the Ukiah Police Department was called out and responded to a local Rite Aid store on 680 South State Street at 7:15 am. According to the reports, a Hispanic male attempted a theft by taking two 32-inch TVs each worth about $300 from the store display and assaulting the store employee.

The robbery and assault happened at this Rite Aid

The victim, a 55-year-old store manager, reported that the thief, who was later identified as Juan Eriberto Vera, 32, took the two televisions and walked past him without any intention or attempts to pay for the items. As the manager tried contacting him at the parking lot, Vera hit him with one of the TVs and then grabbed him and threw him on the ground. The manager tried getting back up on his feet but Vera punched him in the head. He then placed one of the TVs into a silver Mazda sedan that was parked nearby with a female driver inside, who was later identified as Samantha Lee Green, 21. Green took off speeding out of the parking lot, while Vera escaped on foot. The victim received minor injuries.

Officers arrested Vera on Oak Street, less than a block away from the crime scene

Officers searched the area for both suspects and located Green in the vehicle on the 700th block of South Dora Street. She was detained and the officers recovered the stolen television in the vehicle.

Vera was also spotted running in the area of South Dora Street and Gobbi Street. When the officers confronted him,  Vera refused to stop and resisted arrest when they contacted him physically in the 800 block of Oak Street. One of the officers received minor injuries in the struggle.

Both suspects were known to the police departments. Vera is known to be a gang member and is on probation in Sonoma County with several crimes on his record including violence, weapons, and theft. Officers also found him in possession of about 1 gram of methamphetamine at the time of arrest. Green is also on probation in Mendocino County for prior drug related offences.

Both Vera and Green were booked into Mendocino County Jail and held without bail. They are held for robbery, burglary, violation of probation, and possession of a controlled substance. Instead of owning their own TV, they will now have to watch TV in jail.

Read More:

Willits News: Ukiah Rite-Aid Manager Attacked During Robbery

The Ukiah Daily Journal: Rite-Aid Manager Attacked During Robbery