Arrests made, 'ghost gun' recovered after series of violent robberies at Oakland businesses
OAKLAND – Police in Oakland announced arrests in connection with a series of violent robberies that took place inside businesses over the last three weeks.
According to officers, the first robbery took place on the morning of January 17 at a business on the 4400 block of Foothill Boulevard in East Oakland.
Police said the victim was entering the business when he was approached from behind by a suspect who then pushed him and grabbed his belongings. The suspect fled the scene in a waiting vehicle.
On the afternoon of January 27, police said two of the suspects approached a woman entering a business on the 3400 block of Fruitvale Avenue in the Dimond District.
The suspects grabbed the woman's purse, which caused her to fall to the ground. Police said the suspects dragged the woman several feet before breaking away with her purse and fleeing the scene in a vehicle.
Four days later, one the suspects approached a woman entering a business on the 100 block of 40th Street and forcefully grabbed her belongings. A struggle took place, causing the victim and another person to fall to the ground. In this incident, the suspect took the woman's belongings and fled the scene.
Following the third robbery, officers found a vehicle associated with the incident and took three people into custody. Police said they also recovered a privately made firearm, also known as a "ghost gun."
Police said Thursday that the Alameda County District Attorney's Office charged two out of the three people arrested. The third person was not charged.
The suspects' names were not immediately available.
Investigators with Oakland Police said the suspects have been connected to three robberies in Oakland, along with robberies in neighboring cities.