2 accused of stealing woman’s purse at gunpoint

A man and woman were arrested Tuesday after police found them with stolen property that was taken from a woman during an armed robbery the day before.

The day of the crime, officers were called to the 11900 block of Palm Drive at about 2 p.m. after the victim said a man and woman robbed her of her purse at gunpoint.

The suspects ran away and dumped the victim’s purse and the weapon in a nearby trash bin. Police searched the area but couldn’t find the suspects.

The next day at about noon, 38-year-old Marcus Eugene Benavidez and 27-year-old Marlena Contreras, both from Desert Hot Springs, were detained at a 7-11 located at 65971 Pierson Blvd.

Sgt. G Paiz said one of the suspects was found with the victim’s stolen property. Both Benavidez and Contreras were arrested and booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.