Suspect drove faster than 100 MPH on Hwy 4

By Sergeant Brian Rose #4309, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

Antioch Police Officers responded to the report of an armed robbery at the Wells Fargo Bank located at 5859 Lone Tree Way at 12:18 AM Tuesday morning. The victim, a 33-year-old female, was making a cash deposit at the outdoor ATM when two suspects, males age 17 and 21, approached with guns and demanded her money. After the suspects took the victim’s money, they fled the scene in a 4-door dark gray Infiniti. A couple of minutes after the robbery, an officer spotted the suspect vehicle travelling westbound on Highway 4 at a high rate of speed. Officers attempted to catch up to the vehicle but were unable to do so based on the fact it was travelling more than 100 miles per hour.

A few minutes later, the suspect vehicle was located near Los Medanos College in Pittsburg by officers from the Pittsburg Police Department. Officers pursued the vehicle and attempted to disable it using spike strips at the intersection of East Leland Road and Harbor Street. The suspect vehicle swerved to avoid the spike strips and collided with two uninvolved civilian vehicles at the intersection. After the collision, the suspect vehicle continued driving recklessly with no regard for the public and the driver eventually lost control at the intersection of West Leland Road and William Way. The suspect vehicle collided into a power pole. The two suspects subsequently fled from the vehicle on foot. One suspect was taken into custody by use of a police K-9 and the other was apprehended while hiding in the rear yard of a residence near the area of the second accident scene. All involved parties received medical treatment for their injuries.

No officers or civilians were injured during this incident.

The Antioch Police Department would like to extend its gratitude to the Pittsburg Police Department for their assistance during this volatile incident.

This preliminary information is made available by the Field Services Bureau. There will be no further information released regarding this case at this time.

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.

City’s first homicide of the year

By Lieutenant John Fortner, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021 at approximately 10:38 PM, Antioch police officers were called to the 2900 block of Enea Way on the report of several gunshots heard in the area.

Numerous officers responded to the scene and located a 47-year-old male shooting victim seated in a vehicle parked in the street. This victim was found to be suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Officers immediately began providing first aid and called for emergency paramedics. Ultimately, the victim, who was an Antioch resident, succumbed to his injuries and passed at the scene.

A second shooting victim, also an Antioch resident, was located at the scene and he was suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. The 37-year-old male was transported to a local area hospital where he was taken into surgery and is expected to survive.

Antioch Police Department’s Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with the Violent Crimes and Special Operations Units responded to the scene and took over the investigation.

Currently, detectives are working to identify any suspects or persons of interest. The investigation is still active, and evidence is being collected and evaluated.

According to Antioch Police Chief T Brooks, this is the city’s first homicide of the year.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441, or Detective Bledsoe at (925) 779-6884. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Photos: CHP

By CHP – Golden Gate

A recent retail theft at a Lululemon store in Reno led to the recovery of more than $150,000 in suspected stolen merchandise, $7,000 in cash, one handgun, and the arrest of three suspects in the Bay Area, through the cooperation of several law enforcement agencies that are part of an Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF).

On February 5, 2021, nearly $50,000 of clothing was stolen from the Lululemon clothing store in Reno, Nevada, by five suspects in an organized retail theft. Some of the suspects were repeat offenders, known by Lululemon loss prevention investigators to have ties to the Bay Area.

The Lululemon investigators reached out to the ORCTF, a multi-agency effort of the Golden Gate Division of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The task force includes members from the San Francisco Police Department and the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.

With the help of information from the Lululemon loss prevention investigators, the ORCTF executed two search warrants in San Francisco and Antioch on February 11. The search warrants led to three arrests and the stolen merchandise, cash and handgun. The recovered merchandise included clothing, cosmetics, purses and sunglasses from multiple retailers including Lululemon, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Victoria’s Secret, JCPenney’s Sunglass Hut, Solstice Sunglasses, Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Burberry, Sax Off 5th, Louis Vuitton, Hermés, Gucci, Channel, and others.

Arrested were: Mario Omar Cisneros-Cruz, DOB 5/27/1979, of San Francisco; Owen Omar Cisneros/Rodriguez, DOB 9/23/2001, of San Francisco; and Saul Garcia Hernandez, DOB 3/11/1992, of Antioch, on suspicion of organized retail crime (490.4 PC), possession of stolen property (496 (a) PC), grand theft (487 (a) PC), theft of lost property (485 PC). Hernandez was also charged with carrying a loaded firearm (25850 (a) PC).

“It is our Task Force’s mission to detect, deter and dismantle organized retail crime,” said CHP Lieutenant Kevin Domby of the ORCTF. “If you have any information that may lead the detection of organized retail crime, please call our Tip Line at (510) 957-8247.”

Stolen IDs, gun, drugs and cash confiscated by Antioch POP Team. Photo: APD

Over 1,000 stolen ID cards, forged checks and EDD cards!

Illegally parked car leads to arrest for drug sales, illegal gun

By Antioch Police Department

Suspect’s “Fraud God” pendant. Photo: APD

The last couple of days were very productive for the Antioch Police Department’s Problem-Oriented Policing (POP) Team. After several months of investigative work and working with members of the community, the POP team was able to tackle a number of the ongoing issues in some of the city’s problem areas.

Tuesday, our POP Team served a search warrant related to an ongoing investigation that led to the arrest of a subject with an outstanding warrant. Over one thousand ID cards, forged checks, and EDD cards were recovered along with a gun (possessed by a convicted felon). One interesting observation, the arrested subject wanted it to be known that he was the “Fraud God” and purchased a gold chain as proof. This is one of the pictures we included in this post so you can see for yourselves.

The day continued with a focus on the Sycamore Square shopping center. We would like to make it clear, illegally parking in the handicapped zone is not a “pick up food zone” and should not be abused. Not only did this contact lead to a $250 parking ticket, but the driver was also arrested for drug sales and an illegal firearm.

Gun drugs cash confiscated from suspects. Illegally parked car that led to arrest. Photos: APD

Wednesday, the POP Team served several search warrants on active gang members in the city. With the assistance of the APD Gang Unit and Investigations Bureau, we were able to take two stolen guns off the street possessed by convicted felons as well as marijuana for sales.

Like always, the Problem-Oriented Policing Unit would love to hear from you to help reduce any ongoing problems. Our POP Team can be reached by emailing popteam@antioch.gov. You can also submit a tip by sending a text message to 274637 with the keyword ANTIOCH in your text.

By Newsroom Newswire

Now that it’s tax season, and tax forms are arriving in the mail, many people are beginning to find a nasty surprise in their mailbox: an IRS form 1099-G reporting unemployment benefit income that they did not actually apply for or receive.

If you receive a form 1099-G but did not file for unemployment, someone may have stolen your identity to commit unemployment fraud.

Attorney David Fleck, who has extensive experience in fraud cases, said this is one of the easiest frauds to perpetrate, which is why it has suddenly become common during the pandemic. As unemployment numbers swelled, unemployment departments across the country became overwhelmed with applications and made thorough background checks of applicants fall by the wayside.

“I’ve seen so many different scams in my career, and frankly there is nothing new under the sun,” he said. “Because these are unusual times, con artists are just using this moment as a way to take advantage of the system.”

Learning that your identity has been used to perpetrate a fraud can be a stressful experience, Fleck said, but there are steps you can protect yourself and mitigate the damage:

1. Report the fraud to the California employment development department, https://www.edd.ca.gov/. California EDD has a form on their website to use for reporting identity theft and unemployment fraud. You can also call the EDD Fraud Hotline at 1-800-229-6297.
2. File your taxes as normal, and do NOT report the fraudulent income. If you’ve reported the fraud to EDD, that’s all you need to do. You don’t need to also report it to the IRS.
3. If you suspect you may be a victim of a broader identify theft, you may want to check the website of The Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit in San Diego. Visit idtheftcenter.orgor call 888-400-5530.

“Fraudsters never let a crisis go to waste,” Fleck said. “But hopefully, now that state officials know this fraud is going on in such large numbers, innocent victims won’t be on the hook.”

Photos: APD

By Antioch Police Department

Residents in the Hansen Park area of Antioch (in the Black Diamond Hills) may have seen a lot of police activity Sunday afternoon. Officers were sent to a call of an individual armed with a knife experiencing mental distress. Upon the arrival of the first officers, the individual ran up the hill (with the knife) toward the park where children were playing. The entire APD dayshift responded (thankfully the next shift was already starting) to secure the park and form a containment perimeter.

Officer Kathain deployed his drone and located the individual still in possession of the knife on the hillside. Over the next hour, Officers Ewart, Milner and Amiri, along with Sergeant Rose, began a dialogue with him, in an attempt to de-escalate the situation. We are glad to say the situation was safely resolved and he is now on his way to the hospital for emergency psychiatric intervention.

APD officers train regularly for these situations, including crisis intervention and resolution techniques. We have said this before, but we are so appreciative to our community for giving us the tools and resources necessary to help those who need it the most. If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest hospital. Remember, we are always here for you.

Special thanks to personnel from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District for their assistance with this incident.  #antiochpdca   #servicetoourcommunity

Police searching for brown 1990’s Chevrolet pickup

By Corporal James Colley #4705, Antioch Police Field Services Division

On February 6, 2021, at approximately 6:31 pm, APD Officers responded to the 2400 block of E. 18th Street on a report of a juvenile that was hit by a vehicle. Upon arrival, officers learned the 15-year-old male was riding a non-registered dirt bike eastbound on E. 18th Street when he was struck by a pickup truck. Per witnesses on scene, the pickup truck was described as a brown, 1990s Chevrolet. The unknown driver of the truck did not stop and fled the scene, continuing eastbound on E. 18th Street.

No suspects have been identified at this time. The juvenile was transported to a local Bay Area hospital, with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries.

Anyone with information is asked 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.

Hit and run driver’s car. Photos: APD

By Antioch Police Department

See something? Say something!

Yesterday, around 9:30 am, APD Dispatch received 9-1-1 calls reporting a vehicle collision at Lone Tree and Muirwood Ways. While officers were responding to the scene, a witness reported one of the involved vehicles (a gray Buick), ran the red light and was fleeing the scene. The witness gave a description and license plate of the vehicle, but that’s not all – he watched (from a safe distance) as the barely drivable Buick continued down Lone Tree Way for over two miles with the airbags deployed. Thanks to his actions, officers were able to quickly locate the vehicle and detain the driver, who it turns out had a suspended license and no insurance. He will have a future court date to explain his actions to a judge, and his now totaled vehicle was impounded.

Victim’s car. Photo: APD

What can you do if you see something that needs our attention? Remember, never put yourself in danger (that’s what we get paid for!). Try to obtain a description of the vehicle + license plate and get on the phone with 9-1-1 (if an emergency) or by calling (925) 778-2441 if it’s a non-emergency.

Thankfully, none of the involved parties to this collision were seriously injured (but we imagine they’ll be a little sore today). When the witness was asked why he took action, he said “What if this happened to my family?” Can we get a special thanks to our Good Samaritan neighbor from Brentwood that saw something – and said something? Thanks for helping us keep Antioch safe!  #antiochpdca  #neighborshelpingneighbors