Joey Pena
FRESNO – Police arrested a 38-year-old man who allegedly attempted to rob a convenience store and tried to cut one of the employees with a box cutter.
On May 17 just after 9 a.m., a man and woman got off of a bus at First and Ashlan and walked into the Circle K store at 4211 N. First Street.
One of the employees saw the male suspect hide two snack items in his pockets and confronted the suspect. The man took out one of the items from his pocket and threw it on the floor, before producing what appeared to be a box cutter and tryied to cut the employee, police said.
Another employee pulled out a handgun, at which point the suspect began to leave the store. However, before leaving, he tried again to cut the unarmed employee, police said.
Police identified pictures of the suspect on May 18 to local media and social media, and within an hour they received a tip about the identity of the suspect. Police said he was identified as Joey Pena, 38. Officers located Pena in the 5200 block of N. Sixth Street without incident.
Pena was booked into the Fresno County Jail on charges of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
The woman who accompanied him to the store has been identified, but will not be charged with a crime at this time, police said.
