3 Transients Arrested For Robbery In Watsonville Homeless Camp
WATSONVILLE (CBS SF) -- Three transients were arrested Saturday night after allegedly robbing another transient at knifepoint at a homeless camp in Watsonville, police said.
Around 6:30 p.m., officers responded to a reported armed robbery at a homeless encampment in the 1000 block of Main Street, according to police.
The victim, a female, told police that she had been sleeping at the transient camp site when she awoke to find a man on top of her holding a knife to her throat as two other females stood next to him.
While holding the knife to the victim's head, the man, identified as 34-year-old transient Casto Luna, struck her in the head and demanded her money, according to police.
Police said the three suspects then forced the victim to her feet and started taking property from her pockets and from the campsite. Before fleeing the scene, the suspects threatened the victim that they would retaliate if she reported the incident to police.
The victim, who was uninjured, called police and reported the suspects' first and last names. The two females who were allegedly involved were identified as 34-year-old Hilda Leonor and Veronica Leonor, 19.
Police said officers were familiar with all three suspects and began to search for them.
During that search, someone called police and reported witnessing two females and a male robbing an elderly man near the Pajaro Bridge on Main Street and Riverside Drive, giving a suspect description that closely matched the earlier armed robbery suspects.
Officers arrived on the scene where they located and detained the three suspects, who were identified by the victim in the first armed robbery.
During the arrest, officers found the suspects to be in possession of objects stolen during the robbery, police said.
Anyone with further information about this case is urged to call the Watsonville Police Department Crime Tip line at (831) 728-3544 or at (831) 768-3352.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed)
