Four Suspects Arrested In Connection with Sunday Robbery Spree
Jose Lira and Shawn Edwards
HEMET — Following a series of robberies occurring within hours of one another, Hemet police identified and arrested four suspects.
Around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, December 27, police received a call that a suspect had robbed a restaurant in the 200 block of North Sanderson Avenue at gunpoint. The robber stole cash and the personal belongings of a restaurant employee, according to a press release from the Hemet Police Department.
A second robbery occurred at 1:15 a.m. Monday at a gas station in the 1700 block of West Florida Avenue. It was reported that three armed men entered the gas station convenience store, brandished a gun, and stole cash and cigarettes.
According to Hemet police, investigators were able to identify a suspect from the earlier restaurant robbery on the surveillance video from the gas station robbery.
Another restaurant was reportedly hit by the robbers about 20 minutes later. Police noticed three suspicious men fleeing a restaurant in the 1900 block of East Florida Avenue. At this time dispatch reported that the business had just reported a robbery.
The three male suspects then jumped a fence and police found them in their vehicle, where they ordered them out at gun point, then arrested them without incident. The release stated that a fourth person was found hiding behind bushes and was also arrested.
Shawn Dandre Edwards, 22, Jose Eduardo Lira, 23, and two juveniles were arrested early Monday, Dec. 28 in conjunction with the robbery spree.
Edwards was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a robbery, possession of a concealed firearm and violation of his probation.
Lira and the two juveniles were arrested on suspicion of three counts of robbery, possession of a concealed firearm and use of a firearm while committing a felony, police say.
