50-year-old Juana Melva Renderos was arrested on Sept 11 for discharging a firearm under PC 246. An armed robbery occurred at the Joyeria Store Vanessa, a jewelry store located at 1642 Story Road in San Jose.
A Hispanic male wearing a white t-shirt entered the store and approached a male clerk behind a glass counter. A second Hispanic male suspect wearing a black t-shirt followed the first suspect into a small enclosed area of the store. Seeing a green bag next to the jewelry vendor, one of the armed suspects quickly reached over to grab the bag from a male Hispanic victim. The second male suspect began tugging on the bag until a gunshot was heard causing the victim to release the bag in fear after falling to the ground.
The victim did not know where the gunshot came from. He only knew that he had lost his grip on the bag during the struggle causing him to fall to the ground. After the shot was fired, the second suspect was seen fleeing the scene with the green bag in his hands.
Details later emerged about how the whole incident transpired. The first suspect had walked up to the counter and asked if the store “buys gold”. After being told they did not, he then walked toward the exit. However, the second suspect with him saw a green bag and began to wrestle the man, who was a jewelry vendor, for the bag. It was during this time that Renderos realized the vendor was being robbed. Renderos pulled out a 9mm hand gun and fired a single shot at the suspects, who then ran through the parking lot towards Story Road.
Despite Renderos’s arrest and detainment in the Santa Clara Main Jail for discharging a firearm in public, she continued to request police to return her weapon, claiming the need to protect herself. A shootout with two armed robbers had occurred at the store last November. In that incident, no one was injured, and the robbers left without getting anything.
Renderos next court date has been scheduled for Jan 16, 2014 in Dept 23 at 1:30 pm.
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KTVU (2012): Armed owner chases suspected jewelry robbers from San Jose store
Photo: Amy Nilson
