REDLANDS>> Redlands Police arrested five people Tuesday, Aug. 1, in connection with multiple armed robberies and attempted robberies since early Monday morning in Redlands and San Bernardino.
The suspects include a 16-year-old male from San Bernardino, two 16-year-old males from Redlands, a 15-year-old Redlands boy and one adult, 21-year-old Demetri Temple Curry, of San Bernardino. Curry is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail at Central Detention Center in San Bernardino on charges of robbery and negligent discharge of a firearm. The 16-year-old males were transported to Juvenile Hall. The 15-year-old was cited and released to his parents.
Investigation into the robberies, as well as two attempted robberies Monday in downtown Redlands, led to identification of a possible vehicle involved in the crimes. On Tuesday, officers conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle, a gray Hyundai Elantra, in the area of Greenspot Road and Boulder Avenue. Curry and the three 16-year-old males were located inside the car, along with property stolen in one of the robberies, a firearm, three airsoft guns and additional evidence.
Detectives followed up, serving search warrants at a residence in the 900 block of Lalania Avenue in Redlands and another in the 7700 block of Elmwood Road in San Bernardino where they recovered additional evidence. At the Redlands residence, detectives also located the 15-year-old suspect.
At about 11 p.m. Monday, July 31, a 20-year-old male and 21-year-old female, were on the quad at the University of Redlands when they were approached by a group of males with their faces covered. Two of the suspects brandished handguns and demanded both victims' property. The male victim was assaulted before turning over his property. The suspects fled with the victims’ cell phones and wallet in a gray sedan south on University Street.
That robbery followed two others that occurred at about 2:30 a.m. Monday in the 400 block of East Redlands Boulevard. In the first, a woman was followed from a downtown parking lot on Orange Street to the 400 block of East Redlands Boulevard where two suspects stole her purse at gunpoint. The suspects fled east on Central Avenue. At the same time, another suspect stole a purse from a second victim across the street. He then got into a silver vehicle traveling east on Redlands Boulevard.
Two attempted robberies were reported earlier Monday, including one in the 10 block of Citrus Avenue shortly before 1:30 a.m. A witness reported seeing an argument between multiple people before two men brandished firearms at the victims. The witness went inside to call police and returned to find everyone gone. Police are seeking information on any potential victims in this incident.
At about 2 a.m., in the 1900 block of West Redlands Boulevard, two suspects approached another victim and displayed a handgun as he entered his vehicle. The victim drove away and the suspects ran east on Redlands Boulevard.
Curry and the juvenile suspects are also believed to have been involved in two robberies at ATMs in San Bernardino, as well as the discharge of a firearm in a parking lot when told to leave the premises by a security guard at a San Bernardino Best Buy store.
Redlands Police were assisted in the investigation by San Bernardino Police and a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department crime analyst.
Anyone with information on any of these incidents or any similar unreported incidents is asked to contact Redlands Police Dispatch at (909) 798-7681.