Suspects arrested for string of Coachella Valley robberies
The Palm Springs Police Department has arrested three suspects in connection with a string of robberies that took place in the Coachella Valley in February.
The first robbery occurred in the early morning hours of Feb. 13 at the am/pm store at the corner of Vista Chino and Sunrise Way in Palm Springs. A man wearing a bandana covering his face entered the store, pointed a handgun at the clerk, and demanded money. He fled the scene in a “dark colored compact sedan-type vehicle.”
The second and third robberies took place on Feb. 21, one in Cathedral City, and one in Palm Springs.
The Cathedral City robbery occurred in the early afternoon when a dark 4-door compact car approached a group of juvenile victims on the 34250 block of Date Palm Drive in Cathedral City. A vehicle stopped, a suspect exited the vehicle, drew a handgun and demanded the victims’ backpacks. The suspects then fled the scene in the sedan through the Food-4-Less parking lot.
The 3rd robbery took place near the intersection of Sunny Dunes and Beverly Drive in Palm Springs shortly after the Cathedral City Robbery. Three male suspects approached the victim, who was waiting for a cab near the close to the intersection, one suspect pulled a gun and demanded the victim’s bag.
The three suspects then fled the scene and got in a “black Nissan sedan type” vehicle driven by a female. One of the suspects fired one round at the victim before fleeing the scene, but the victim was not struck or injured.
The suspects were apprehended at 10:51 p.m.on Feb. 21 by Cathedral City police when law enforcement stopped a vehicle that matched the description of the car used in the second robbery. After the arrest, the suspects and vehicle were connected to the Palm Springs robbery from earlier in the day, and the investigation was handed over to the Palm Springs Police Department.
Three suspects were arrested, two male juveniles, and Gabriela Molitor, a Palm Springs resident.
The 15-year-old juvenile is facing one count of robbery and one count of conspiracy. He was not linked to the Feb. 13 robbery and was released to his parents pending charges filed.
Gabriela Molitor and the 16-year-old juvenile are facing two counts of robbery, one count of kidnapping, and one count conspiracy. Molitor was booked into Riverside County Jail in Banning and the 16-year-old juvenile was booked into the Juvenile Hall in Indio.
The Coachella Valley Law Enforcement Agencies are still working on the investigation to determine if this was the full extent of the crime spree.
Anyone with additional information relating to these cases is urged to contact the Palm Springs Police Department at (760)-778-8411.
