Suspect Arrested in Relation to Recent Series of Fast Food Armed Robberies
Image: File photo of Gabriel Molina | Courtesy of Riverside Police Department
The Riverside police department has recently apprehended a suspect in a string of armed robberies that took place at fast food restaurants in the area. The first robbery took place on June 1st, 2022, at a Baker’s fast food location on Jurupa Avenue. The suspect entered the restaurant and brandished a handgun, demanding money from the cash registers and safe, before forcing the employees into a back room and fleeing the scene.
Similarly, another robbery took place on June 30th at another Baker’s fast food location on Adams Street. The suspect followed the same pattern as the previous robbery, entering the restaurant and brandishing a handgun, demanding money from the registers, and barricading the employees in a back room before stealing a car and fleeing.
In November of the same year, another robbery took place at a Del Taco fast food location on Arlington Avenue. This time, the suspect carried out the robbery in the same manner, brandishing a handgun, demanding money from the registers, and forcing the employees into a back room before stealing a car and fleeing.
Three more robberies occurred at various fast food locations in Riverside in December, all carried out with a similar modus operandi, which led the police to believe they were carried out by the same person.
With the help of the Crime Analysis Unit, detectives from the Robbery-Homicide Unit and officers assigned to the Problem-Oriented Policing Team began investigating the string of robberies. On January 27th, 2023, the investigative team, along with the METRO Team, apprehended the suspect after he had just committed another armed robbery in Moreno Valley.
The suspect, 29-year-old Gabriel Molina, was arrested at his home in Moreno Valley and was later booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on numerous counts of armed robbery, kidnapping to commit robbery, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, and weapons charges. He is currently being held on a $250,000 bail.
The investigation is still ongoing, and anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Richard Glover or POP Officer Chris Moberg.
These string of armed robberies had caused great concern among the community, and the prompt action taken by the Riverside police department to apprehend the suspect has provided a sense of relief and safety to the citizens. It is a testament to the dedication and effectiveness of the police department in maintaining law and order and protecting the community.
Armed robberies are serious crimes that can have a profound impact on the victims, both physically and mentally. It is important for the police to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that such incidents do not happen again. The arrest of Gabriel Molina will send a strong message to the public that the police are committed to protecting their citizens and that they will not tolerate such criminal activities.
Original Press Release from Riverside PD can be viewed here.
Written By: Jolene Spencer
