Man charged in armed robbery of business on San Francisco's Ocean Avenue
SAN FRANCISCO – A San Francisco man has been arrested and charged in connection with an armed robbery at a store on Ocean Avenue earlier this month.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Monday that 26-year-old Haoli Weng was arraigned Friday in connection with the Jan. 4 incident.
Weng was charged with second-degree robbery with an allegation he used a semiautomatic pistol in the commission of a robbery, along with one count of possession of a firearm or deadly weapon without a competency certificate. He entered not guilty pleas to all charges, prosecutors said.
"Small businesses are the lifeblood of our neighborhoods and employees and patrons must be safe in them," Jenkins said in a statement.
Prosecutors said Weng went into a business on the 1400 block of Ocean Avenue and pointed a semiautomatic pistol at a store employee who was standing behind the cash register. He allegedly stole $100 before leaving the scene.
Nearly two weeks later, on Jan 17, Weng was arrested after being spotted by witnesses.
"I am grateful to the witnesses who came forward and the San Francisco Police who made an arrest," Jenkins said.
Prosecutors said Weng is being held without bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 1 for a preliminary hearing.
Weng faces up to 15 years in state prison if convicted of all charges.
