Fresno County authorities arrest two in connection to six recent armed robberies
Above: Ben Maldonado (L) and Connie Contreras (R) | Photos: Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office has announced two arrests in connection to six armed robberies.
27-year-old Ben Maldonado and 28-year-old Connie Contreras, both of Fresno, remain housed at the Fresno County Jail after property crimes detectives linked the pair to six armed robberies committed between early January and early February.
Chevy Cobalt
It began with a 7-Eleven on East Ashland in Fresno on January 21st. According to the Sheriff’s Office, surveillance video captured the possible suspect vehicle — a dark-colored Chevy Cobalt — leaving the area. This enabled detectives to connect this robbery with two previous armed robberies at other 7-Eleven Stores on January 9th and 11th, respectively.
On January 23rd, another armed robbery took place at the Central Food Mart on East Central Avenue. Detectives soon confirmed that the same suspect vehicle had been involved and, in turn, shared the information with Fresno PD, beginning an active search for that specific vehicle.
Then came two more armed robberies involving the same vehicle — one at another 7-Eleven on January 28th, and another at Johnny Quick gas station on the 30th.
Hyundai Santa Fe
Finally, on February 1st, detectives located the suspect vehicle, along with another associated vehicle described as a Hyandai Santa Fe, parked outside the Days Inn Motel on Second Street. After observing Maldonado and Contreras each get into one of the vehicles, detectives and Fresno County deputies conducted high-risk stops on both and took both suspects into custody.
A search of the vehicles reportedly turned up several items connected to the robberies, and additional items were found in the motel room, the Sheriff’s Office said.
