Following car chase, crash in Berkeley three arrested for robbing Antioch jewelry store Friday
Multi-agency effort included CHP, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburg, Hercules, San Pablo Police Departments and East Bay Regional Parks
By Sergeant Brian Rose #4309, Field Services Bureau, Antioch Police Department
On Friday, September 3, 2021, Antioch Police officers responded to the report of a takeover robbery in-progress at a jewelry store inside of Somersville Towne Center. The call stated multiple subjects were robbing the establishment and the frightened employee ran to the back of the store and locked himself inside a room. Officers arrived and immediately confirmed three suspects entered the business, Ron’s Jewelers, and one of them used a hammer to smash open display cases. All three suspects then grabbed approximately $80,000- $90,000 in jewelry and fled from the store. Officers quickly obtained a description of the suspect’s vehicle to include its license plate.
A radio broadcast containing the suspect’s vehicle information was rapidly disseminated and moments later, officers from the Pittsburg Police Department located the car which was travelling westbound on Highway 4. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver failed to yield, and a pursuit ensued that spanned across several cities and involved numerous police agencies to include air support from CCCSO, CHP, and East Bay Regional Parks.
At one point, the suspect vehicle briefly stopped in the City of Richmond and one of the passengers fled from the car on foot. This suspect ran into a backyard and was subsequently taken into custody. This suspect was wearing a backpack that contained a large amount of jewelry.
An officer from the California Highway Patrol continued to pursue the suspect vehicle which still contained the two remaining suspects. The pursuit eventually terminated after the suspect vehicle was involved in a collision on Interstate 80 near, University Avenue in Berkeley. The two remaining occupants ran from the car after the collision but were apprehended by officers from the Hercules and San Pablo Police Departments.
The suspects, ages 28, 30 and 32, will be booked into the Martinez Detention Facility for numerous charges to include conspiracy, robbery, burglary, and evading arrest.
The Antioch Police Department and the victims in this case would like to thank all the involved law enforcement agencies for their assistance during this incident.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.