Man Arrested, Reward Offered In Palo Alto Street Robberies
PALO ALTO (BCN) - Palo Alto police on Wednesday arrested a man suspected in two robberies in the last three months and are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of additional street robbery suspects.
The suspect, identified as Villivuni Fono, 21, was arrested at about 5:30 p.m. in East Palo Alto and booked into Santa Clara County Jail, according to police.
Police believe he is responsible for the Oct. 27, 2010 robbery of a 27-year-old man in the 500 block of Fulton Street. The victim identified Fono as one of two men who approached him that evening, engaged him in conversation, and then robbed him of his messenger bag and wallet at gunpoint. The other suspect remains at-large, police said.
Fono is suspected also in a Nov. 5, 2010 robbery in the 500 block of Forest Avenue. He allegedly approached a man in a car with at least two others, and robbed him of his wallet.
That car was later found in East Palo Alto, and on Nov. 19, 2010, police arrested Ana Loiloi Umufuke, a 16-year-old East Palo Alto resident, in connection with the robbery.
Police said Fono is considered a person of interest in one other case.
Police are continuing to investigate a rash of violent street robberies since September 2010. In 12 of the 14 robberies that have occurred in that time period, either a handgun or other weapon was used, police said.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Police Department at (650) 329-2413 or send anonymous tips to paloalto@tipnow.org.
