San Mateo armed robbery suspect jailed after investigators probe ride-sharing app data
Through a ride-sharing app, San Mateo police were able to arrest a man accused of robbing a check-cashing business in June.
The arrest stemmed from a report of an armed robbery on June 8. San Mateo police said that around 3:15 p.m. that day, a female cashier of a check cashing business in the 600 block of South Norfolk Street reported to have been robbed by an unknown male, who disguised his appearance.
"He informed her of the robbery via note and threatened to kill her with a gun he had on his person. At that time, the cashier gave the suspect almost $16,000, and he then fled the scene," police said.
After piecing together surveillance footage obtained from residents in the area, police learned the suspect left the check cashing business and walked to the area of Patricia Avenue where he was picked up by a vehicle.
Police said that on June 11, they learned the vehicle was used for ride-sharing. Authorities got a search warrant to sift through records of the ride-share company and obtained possible information identifying the suspect.
"Detectives believed it was likely the subject who ordered the rideshare lied about his name, so after several additional search warrants were written and served, on July 3rd, detectives were able to positively identify the suspect in this case as Juan Pablo Sanchez. (Someone who had previously been arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm by our department in 2023)," police said.
On Monday, detectives served an arrest against the 21-year-old Sanchez during a traffic stop in Redwood City shortly after noon.
Search warrants were then served for his vehicle and his home in San Mateo. Two loaded firearms, additional ammunition and drugs were allegedly found in his car. Purported evidence linking Sanchez to the armed robbery was also found in his home, according to police.
Sanchez was booked into jail on suspicion of second-degree robbery, grand theft, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime. He is also accused of committing a felony while out on bail, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, possession of a large capacity magazine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a loaded firearm with controlled substances, possession of armor-piercing bullets, and possession of stolen property.