CHP Chopper Helps Police Arrest 2 Suspects After T-Mobile Store Robbery
AMERICAN CANYON (CBS SF) -- Two men were arrested Saturday night in Pittsburg, suspects in a T-Mobile cell phone store robbery in American Canyon that was followed by a law enforcement pursuit, mainly from the air, police said.
The T-Mobile store robbery was reported at 5:40 p.m. Saturday, with two men ripping cell phones and Apple watches from displays. The men then left in a black Lexus headed north on State Highway 29.
Police said officers found the Lexus headed east on State Highway 12 (Jameson Canyon Road) between Napa and Fairfield, and tried to make a traffic stop. The Lexus accelerated; police gave chase for a short time, but called it off because the Lexus was being driven recklessly at high speeds.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter was asked to join the search, and its crew located the Lexus in Concord. The two suspects switched to another car there, and the CHP crew followed the different car to Pittsburg, where police said the two were trying to change vehicles yet again when they were confronted by Pittsburg and American Canyon police officers.
The two men tried to flee. One of them, 20-year-old Lamar Crawford of San Francisco, was captured by Pittsburg police a short time later. The second man, 23-year-old Alexander Briones of Oakland, was captured by officers from both departments, police said, with the help of a Pittsburg police dog. Briones had to be treated for injuries inflicted by the dog.
Crawford and Briones were taken to the Napa County Jail, where they were being held this evening on suspicion of felony charges including robbery and evading police officers. Briones had several outstanding warrants from three counties, as well.
Napa County Sheriff's detectives are leading the ongoing investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to call detectives at (707) 253-4591.
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