Armed ATM serial bandit suspect arrested in San Jose
SAN JOSE -- A 20-year-od San Jose man has been arrested for allegedly carrying out several violent armed ATM robberies the last week of January.
San Jose police said Diego Mendoza-Ramirez has been booked into county jail on 12 felony charges and one misdemeanor count.
According to investigators, between January 22nd and January 30th there were four robberies or attempted robberies in San Jose in which the suspect used a semi-automatic pistol to hold up ATM users.
He often pistol whipped his victims before demanding their cash. On one occasion the suspect negligently discharged a firearm during the robbery.
The suspect also used at least two stolen vehicles as get-away cars during the commission of his crimes.
Detectives recognized a pattern in the string of robberies and began a thorough and comprehensive investigation.
Based on that investigation, detectives identified Mendoza-Ramirez as the suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest, in addition to a search warrant for his residence.
On February 2nd, officers arrested Mendoza-Ramirez while he was driving a stolen vehicle in San José.
Mendoza-Ramirez was also in possession of property that linked him to the robberies. The subsequent search of his residence revealed items of evidentiary value to the case, in addition to evidence of narcotic sales.
Anyone with information about these cases or similar cases is asked to contact Detective Van Brande #4542 of the San José Police Robbery Unit via email: 4542@sanjoseca.gov or 408-277-4166.