2 teen gang members arrested for string of armed robberies

Two more arrests have been made in connection to a string of armed robberies that occurred in multiple locations within Coachella and Palm Desert, dating back to the summer of 2014.

Officers with the Coachella Police Department said a 17-year-old Hispanic male and 15-year-old Hispanic male, both documented Coachella gang members, were arrested Thursday afternoon on several charges.

According to a release from Sergeant Tim White , the 17-year-old is facing four counts of armed robbery, four counts of using a firearm in the commission of an armed robbery, and criminal threats for robberies committed at the following locations:

Maxcy’s Grill, located at 49405 Grapefruit, Coachella (two armed robberies on two separate occasions)
Swiss Donut, located at 49965 Harrison St, Coachella
Circle K convenience store, located at 78005 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert

Officers said the 15-year-old was arrested for his involvement in three of the same robberies as the 17-year-old:

Maxcy’s Grill, located at 49405 Grapefruit, Coachella (two armed robberies on two separate occasions)
Circle K convenience store, located at 78005 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert

Employees and business patrons were also robbed for personal property at gunpoint during the Circle K and Maxcy’s Grill robberies, Sergeant White said in the release.

Thursday’s arrests mark the fifth arrest in the string of gang-related armed robberies.

Another known gang member, 21-year-old Benjamin Zaragoza, was arrested on Thursday, January 29, in connection to robbing a Coachella Carl’s Jr. restaurant on the 50000 block of Harrison Street on October, 6 of 2014.

Zaragoza was booked into the Indio Jail on suspicion of robbery and using a firearm in the commission of a crime. His bail was set at $105,000.

Officers said they took 19-year-old Angel Alvarado into custody the night the Carl’s Jr. restaurant was robbed after they found him running from the area. Investigators were called and determined he took part in the robbery.

He was booked into the Riverside County Jail in Indio.

A 17-year old juvenile and known Coachella gang member was arrested for his involvement in the armed-robbery during the month of November as well.