News headline from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department:

A 20-year old Moreno Valley man was arrested at his home on Thursday evening in connection with three armed robberies that occurred over a span of several weeks since early August.

On August 3rd at about 11:28 p.m., officers from the Moreno Valley Police Department responded to an armed robbery at Waterford Park located at Eucalyptus Avenue and Waterford Drive in Moreno Valley.  The victims reported that they had been approached by a black male adult while they were at the park.  They described the suspect as being tall, thin, and armed with a sawed-off shotgun.  The suspect demanded the victims’ personal property and ran off prior to officers’ arrival.

A few weeks later, on August 21st at about 11:36 p.m., officers responded to an armed robbery in the area of Eucalyptus Avenue and Barbazon Drive in Moreno Valley.  The victims reported that they had been approached by a black male adult who was described as being very tall and thin who was also armed with a sawed-off shotgun.  The suspect demanded the victims’ property and ran off into a residential area prior to officers’ arrival.

About a month later, on September 25th at about 8:30 p.m., two female victims reported that they had been robbed at gunpoint in the 26000 block of Eucalyptus Avenue by a black male suspect who was armed with a shotgun.  The suspect demanded money and also ran off into a nearby residential area.

Officers from the Robbery Suppression Team (RST) responded and assumed the investigation.  Based on the similarities between all three robberies it appeared the same suspect was involved.

On September 26th, RST officers began a surveillance operation in the 26000 block of Perrier Drive in Moreno Valley.  At approximately 6:00 p.m. a subject later identified as Frederick Avan (pictured right), 20, of Moreno Valley, was detained in the area without incident.  Avan was in possession of various items related to the recent robberies.

Officers obtained a search warrant for Avan’s residence and additional evidence was located which linked him to all three robberies.  Avan was taken to the Robert Presley Detention Center and booked on multiple counts of armed robbery.

The Moreno Valley Police Department is asking anyone with additional information about these cases to please contact Deputy Grotefend at 951-486-6816.

Filed under Headline

Friday, September 28, 2012

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