Burglary-Auto Detectives Prevents Suspects from Robbing a Jewelry Salesman

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, May 20, 1999
On Wednesday, May 19, 1999, at approximately 2:15 p.m., detectives assigned to Burglary-Auto Theft Division (BAD) encountered the robbery suspects in the vicinity of a jewelry store at Imperial Highway and Rose Drive in the city of Placentia. During the investigation, the detectives observed the seven suspects target a jewelry salesman who was leaving the jewelry store. As the victim drove away from the location, the suspects who were in two vehicles, followed the victim. The detectives followed the suspects at which time the detectives concluded that the suspects were about to rob the victim for the jewelry he was transporting. The BAD detectives initiated a traffic stop of the suspects with the assistance of personnel from the Brea Police Department. The suspects were subsequently arrested for conspiracy to commit robbery and booked at the Orange County Jail. The Office of the Orange County District Attorney filed felony charges against the suspects for conspiracy to commit robbery and set their bail at $250,000.

The follow-up investigation by BAD detectives showed that the suspects were members of a South American Theft Group. Furthermore, five of the suspects had prior felony arrests and one of the suspects had a felony warrant for robbery issued by San Bernardino County with a bail of $1,000,000.

The suspects claimed to be residents of Los Angeles and were identified as follows:

Henry Leon, age 47
Matias Rivera, age 39
Sergio Sanchez, age 38
Angel Largo, age 35
Agustin Mijares, age 52
Pedro Hernandez, age 37
Alondra Castillo, age 29

For Release 4:40 pm PST
May 20, 1999