Photo: Giovanni Mendoza
SAN PABLO — Information generated from social media posts enabled police investigators to identify and arrest a man suspected of committing multiple robberies throughout San Pablo and Richmond.
A video recorded by a security camera, which shows a man robbing a convenience store in December, was posted online by the police on February 8. The man conspicuously wearing one glove is suspected of robbing the same store twice.
The posts asking the public for help to identify the suspect generated several leads, which culminated in the arrest of Giovanni Mendoza, a 21-year-old resident of Richmond.
Investigators served a search warrant on February 16 at a residence located on the 1800 block of Seventh Street in North Richmond, and arrested Mendoza there shortly after 6 p.m.
Evidence gathered from Mendoza’s home positively links him to four separate robberies, according to the police.
During the search officers located more than $5,000 in cash, a semi-automatic handgun, a replica gun, and clothing that Mendoza is believed to have worn while committing the robberies—based on the descriptions of the suspect provided by the victims.
Police said they also found evidence linking Mendoza to street level drug dealing, and they recovered several ounces of cannabis inside his residence.
Mendoza was arrested and later booked at the West County Detention Facility. He’s presently charged only for committing robberies. Bail for his release was set at $1,350,000.
