Suspects Arrested In Brazen San Rafael Home Depot Armed Robbery
SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) -- Two suspects were in custody and a third the subject of an intense police search Friday for the brazen armed robbery of a San Rafael Home Depot on Feb. 2, authorities said.
San Rafael police said 37-year-old Gerard Hood, of San Pablo, and 22-year-old Thomas Garcia Rodriguez, of Richmond, were being held in Marin County Jail on robbery and conspiracy to commit a crime charges.
On Feb. 2, around 8:15 p.m., two suspects entered the Home Depot store at 111 Shoreline Parkway just before closing. One of the suspects was armed with a handgun and approached a cashier.
The suspect ordered the cashier to give him the money from the registers. After cash was obtained, the suspects ran out of the store into a waiting vehicle which was believed to a black car, possibly a Dodge.
During the ensuing investigation, San Rafael detectives conducted follow up interviews and obtained video evidence that lead to search warrants being issued in the case.
The investigation determined that Hood was one of the people who participated in the robbery. An arrest warrant for Hood and a search warrant for Hood's residence were issued.
On Thursday morning, members of the San Rafael/Novato SWAT team executed the search warrant at Hood's residence in the 2000 block of 19th Street in San Pablo. A search of the residence uncovered evidence related to the robbery at Home Depot.
Just prior to the search warrant being executed, detectives -- assisted by the United States Probation Department -- arrested Hood at the Federal Building in Oakland. Detectives also learned that Hood had been dropped off at the Federal Building by a driver in a black Dodge Charger similar to the one used in the robbery.
A San Rafael officer involved in the arrest of Hood spotted the car in the neighborhood, stopped it and detained Rodriguez.
Detectives said there was still one suspect outstanding and the investigation was ongoing.
Anyone with information about the robbery was asked to call the San Rafael Police Department at 415.485.3000.