Teenager suspected of robbing 2 stores in Coachella with knife

A 16-year-old Indio boy was in custody Wednesday for allegedly robbing two Coachella convenience stores while armed with a knife, with the latest incident occurring late Tuesday night.

Sheriff’s deputies responded at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday to the 7-11 store located at 1030 Sixth Street in Coachella, where a suspect had taken an undisclosed amount of money and ran from the scene, said Sgt. Randy Vasquez.

Several bystanders chased after the boy and a sheriff’s deputy detained him near the area of First and Harrison streets, Vasquez said. The cash taken from the store and the knife were recovered by deputies.

The boy, whose name was not released due to his age, was arrested on suspicion of committing both Tuesday’s robbery and the June 17 robbery of an AM/PM store in the 48000 block of Grapefruit Boulevard.

The boy was booked into Indio Juvenile Hall, according to the sergeant.

Anyone with information regarding the robberies was asked to call Investigator Lisandro Tijerina at the sheriff’s Thermal station at (760) 863-8990.