Shoppers become victims in three violent Fremont armed robberies

Shoppers become victims in three violent Fremont armed robberies
Ben Aguirre Jr.
Fremont Argus

FREMONT — Police are investigating a trio of violent armed robberies that occurred late Sunday, crimes that included a man being pistol-whipped and a woman being punched by a gunman, authorities said. The crimes may have been committed by the same group of people, police said.
All three crimes happened Sunday between 7:45 p.m. and 11:20 p.m., and each involved two to four gunmen who accosted their victims as they were in their cars at local shopping centers, said Fremont police Sgt. Chris Mazzone.
The first robbery happened about 7:45 p.m. at the Ardenwood Plaza near the intersection of Paseo Padre Parkway and Deep Creek Road, Mazzone said. There, two men, ages 20 and 24, said they were accosted by three men, all of whom wore black hooded sweatshirts and carried guns.
One of the victims was pistol-whipped, while the other was held at gunpoint as another robber took the men's belongings, Mazzone said.
About 30 minutes later at Charter Square — about a mile from the first robbery— four people in a Honda Civic were accosted after leaving a liquor store. The victims — three men and a woman, all of whom were ages 17 to 19 — were driving out of the parking lot, along Fremont Boulevard near Enea Common, when they were stopped by four gunmen, Mazzone said.
The robbers demanded items from all of the occupants; and at one point, one robber put the barrel of a gun in a passenger's face and cocked the hammer,
Mazzone said, reading from the reports.
The robbers took a purse, handbag, cash and other belongings before fleeing on foot through the parking lot, Mazzone said.
Then, about 11:20 p.m., two 28-year-old women were robbed by a pair of gunmen as they returned to their car while shopping at Lucky's on Mowry Avenue near Blacow Road.
The women exited the store and were followed to their car. As the women got into the vehicle, a robber put his foot in the driver's doorway and stopped her from closing the door. He then punched the driver several times in the arm while demanding her belongings, Mazzone said.
Another woman saw the men assault the driver and take items from the car. As the robbers fled, they saw the witness and demanded her belongings, too, but she refused. Both robbers then fled on foot, Mazzone said.
Although no one has been arrested or been identified as a suspect, police believe that all three cases may be related because of the way each crime was committed, the small time-frame during which the crimes happened, and general description of the suspects, Mazzone said.
In each case, the robbers were described as black men in their 20s or 30s wearing dark-colored clothing and carrying handguns, Mazzone said.
Anyone with information may call police at 510-790-6900.