2022-01-30

#street/AmarilloBlvd/E/5400-block #offense/robbery #street/Grand/S/1200-block #category/carjacking #street/I40/E/5000-block #offense/robbery/aggravated #street/Whitaker/N/900-block #street/10th/SE #street/Stuart/S #street/Fairfield/N/ #street/Sanborn

On January 30th, at 3:35 AM, APD officers were called to the 5400 block of Amarillo Boulevard East on a robbery at gunpoint. The victim said that two Hispanic males pulled a gun on him and took his white Toyota Avalon. The victim was uninjured.

At 4:09 AM, officers were called to the 1200 block of south Grand Street on another robbery by gunpoint. The victim said that three Hispanic males pulled a gun on him and demanded his Chevrolet Avalanche. The suspects took the vehicle and left south on Grand Street. Video of the incident showed the three males exiting a white vehicle, similar to what was taken in the first robbery, before taking the victims vehicle and both cars driving away.

At 6:58 AM, officers were called to a convenience store in the 5000 block of east I-40 on an armed robbery. Three males entered the store and pulled a gun on the cashier. The males took miscellaneous items and an undisclosed amount of money from the register and left. Video evidence showed the suspects leaving the scene in a grey Chevrolet Trailblazer.

At 7:30 AM, an APD officer located the stolen Chevrolet Avalanche abandoned in the 900 block of north Whitaker Street.

At 8:08 AM, an APD officer located the white Toyota Avalon that had been taken in the first robbery. The vehicle wrecked into a fence at southeast 10th and south Stuart Drive and was then abandoned.

At 10:25 AM, an APD officer on patrol at Amarillo Boulevard and Grand Street saw the grey Chevrolet Trailblazer that had been involved in the robbery at the convenience store. The vehicle was stopped at north Fairfield Street and Sanborn. Five people were detained from the vehicle and evidence from the three robberies was located.

Joseph Leo Cruz, 18, arrested on charges of three counts of Aggravated Robbery

Sergio Garcia-Gomez, 17, arrested on one count of Aggravated Robbery
According to department reports, “A third adult male was released pending further investigation.”
A 16 year-old was booked into the Youth Center of the High Plains on one count of Aggravated Robbery
A 15 year-old was booked into the Youth Center of the High Plains on a probation violation

During the investigation detectives found video of a failed robbery attempt by the same suspects in the 5400 block of Amarillo Boulevard East. At 3:29 AM, the suspects approached a dark colored Honda car. The driver drove away as the robbery was being attempted. A photograph of the vehicle is included. Detectives ask that the driver of this vehicle reach out to them at 378-9426 or 378-9438 in order to further this investigation.

According to reports by the Amarillo Police Department, the timeline of the investigation was as follows:

At around 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 30, the department said that officers responded to the 5400 block of Amarillo Boulevard East after a report of a robbery at gunpoint. The victim said that two men had pulled a gun on him and took his white Toyota Avalon.
At 4:10 a.m., officers said they were called to the 1200 block of South Grand Street on another robbery at gunpoint. The victim said that three men had pulled a gun on him before taking his Chevrolet Avalanche.
- The Amarillo Police Department said that video of the event showed three men exiting a white vehicle similar to the Toyota Avalon taken in the first robbery, before taking the Chevrolet Avalanche and driving away from the scene.
At around 7 a.m., officers reported being called to a convenience store on the 5000 block of East I-40 on an armed robbery, in which three men entered the store and pulled a gun on the cashier. Police said that the men “took miscellaneous items and an undisclosed amount of money from the register and left.”
- The Amarillo Police Department said that video evidence showed the suspects elaving the scene in a grey Chevrolet Trailblazer.
At around 7:30 a.m., officers reported finding the stolen Chevrolet Avalanche abandoned in the 900 block of North Whitaker Street.
At around 8 a.m., an officer reported finding the white Toyota Avalon, abandoned after being wrecked into a fence at southeast 10th and South Stuart Drive.
At around 10:30 a.m., an officer said that during a patrol on Amarillo Boulevard and Grand Street the grey Chevrolet Trailblazer that had been involved in the conveninece store robbery was spotted. After stopping the vehicle at north Fairfield Street and Sanborn, officers said that five people were detained “and evidence from the three robberies was located.”

via the Amarillo Police Department

The Amarillo Police Department further reported that during the investigation, detectives saw a video of a “failed robbery attempt by the same suspects in the 5400 block of Amarillo Boulevard East.” At around 3:30 a.m., police said the suspects approached a dark-colored Honda car, but the driver drove away while the robbery was being attempted. Detectives asked that the driver of the vehicle reach out at 378-9426 or 378-9438 to assist with the investigation.