Suspects accused of robbing pizza delivery drivers arrested
The Desert Hot Springs Police Department arrested four suspects accused of robbing pizza delivery drivers at gunpoint.
19-year-old Demetrius Lugo of Indio, 19-year-old Dezmend Williams of Desert Hot Springs, and two 16-year-old male juveniles also from Desert Hot Springs were arrested Saturday evening on for carjacking and robbery, according to a news release by DHSPD.
The four suspects were arrested for their alleged roles in two separate armed robberies of pizza delivery drivers last week.
The first robbery occurred on Saturday, May 25. According to DHSPD, at approximately 12:46 a.m., a pizza delivery driver reported being held at gunpoint while making a delivery in the 66100 block of San Juan Road. The delivery driver said his car and personal belongings were stolen.
Five days later, the second robbery occurred. At approximately 11:20 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, another pizza delivery driver reported being robbed at gunpoint while making a delivery in the 10800 block of Cactus Drive. This driver also said his car and personal belongings were stolen.
Detectives investigating the first robbery drew parallels between the modus operandi and suspect
descriptions in both cases. Detectives were able to follow some leads that led them to the four suspects.
According to jail records, Williams is being held on $1,000,000 bail for Conspiracy to commit crime, assault with a deadly weapon (Not firearm), and carjacking. Lugu is being held on $60,000 bail for assault w/deadly weapon, metal knuckles, carjacking, and conspiracy to commit a crime. Both have been booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Center in Banning.
The two juveniles were booked into the Indio Juvenile Hal.l.
Anyone with additional information on this incident is encouraged to contact the Desert Hot Springs Police Department at (760) 329-2904.
“Thanks to good ‘ol fashion Police work, Officers quickly apprehend the (4) suspects involved and recovered both stolen vehicles,” wrote acting Police Chief, Jim Henson. “This is the same dedicated team of men and women who are responsible for the significant reductions in our part one crime rates over the past three years.”
The FBI classifies Part One crimes as murder, forcible rape, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, auto theft and larceny. You can learn more about the crimes rates of Coachella Valley cities in John White’s I-Team Investigation ‘Crime in our Valley’
