SPPD: Fillmore gang member arrested on suspicion of Circle K robbery
February 10, 2016
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
A Fillmore teenager was arrested Friday on suspicion of being the gunman who robbed a Santa Paula convenience store about three weeks ago, a crime that was caught by a surveillance camera on videotape.
According to Santa Paula Police Sgt. Cody Madison, on February 5th “a 17-year-old documented gang member was arrested in connection,” with the January 16 armed robbery of the convenience story at Circle K gas station, located at 765 W. Harvard Blvd.
In that incident a suspect hadentered the convenience store about 11:30 p.m. and walked around for several minutes as if he was shopping but then he covered his face with a bandana and approached the clerk. He brandished a large revolver at the cashier and demanded money.
After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash the gunman fled the store heading eastbound on Harvard Boulevard.
Madison said the cashier and a customer — who became aware the store was being robbed — that were inside the business were not injured during the incident.
Santa Paula Police investigated and found that the surveillance camera had caught the entire incident on tape, including video of the gunman with and without the bandana covering his face.
Screen captures from the surveillance tape were circulated in the hopes that someone would recognize the gunman.
Madison said the suspect was taken into custody February 5, approximately 9:30 a.m. at Ventura County Juvenile Court without incident where he was appearing for allegedly carrying a concealed weapon inside a vehicle. The suspect had been arrested on the charge January 19, three days after the Circle K armed robbery.
After being arrested for suspicion of robbery and processed, Madison said the teenager was transported to Ventura County Juvenile Hall, located on Vineyard Avenue in Oxnard.
