On Wednesday, Citrus Heights police said detectives recently found digital evidence showing a “possible strong arm robbery” involving a man wearing a gorilla mask, believed to have occurred on April 20 around 1:54 p.m.
Photo released by the Citrus Heights Police Department of a masked robbery suspect believed to have been involved in an April bike theft.
According to a police news release, still images and video footage show an unidentified victim being confronted by the masked man, who robbed him of his bike. The digital evidence also indicates there were several other “unknown” persons present during the robbery.
Police said no reports have been made with similar circumstances to agencies in the region, and detectives are asking for the community to help in locating the victim and identifying the masked “gorilla” man.
Detectives believe the masked robbery suspect and “additional unknown subjects” may have committed other robberies in the region and request the public’s help in identifying others who may have been victimized by the masked man as well.
Police describe the masked suspect as a white male adult with a height of about 5-feet-eleven-inches and a “medium build.”
Those with information about the identity of either the suspect or victim(s) are “strongly encouraged” to contact the Citrus Heights Police Department at 916-727-5500.
Updated Sept. 30 with video, 12:01 p.m.-
A weekend police motorcycle rodeo and Traffic Safety Fair drew about 2,000 people to the northern parking lot of Sunrise Mall, raising over $2600 for charity and leaving the Citrus Heights Police Department with six awards for performance of several competing officers.
23 police officers piled into a small coned-off square for the weekend’s final “Last Man Standing” event.
With 23 officers enlisting in the competition from around the state, Officer Kristopher Frey took home the most awards from the Citrus Heights Police Department (CHPD), earning first and second place in several competitions.
Navigating his thousand-pound Harley Davidson Road King through a maze of obstacles and tight corners, Frey took first place in the Harley class “Slow Speed Challenge Course” – a course described by officers as “extremely challenging,” and one that some contestants couldn’t complete. Frey also took home third place in the same course on his BMW and second place in the “Solo Officer Speed Course” on his Harley.
Competitions were divided by class between the older Harley Davidson police motorcycles and the newer, lighter BMW R1200RT-P bikes, with CHPD resurrecting two of its recently replaced Harleys for officers Anthony Boehle and Frey to compete and win several awards with.
Taking home first place on their BMW’s, Officer Frey joined with CHPD’s Sergeant David Gutierrez in the two-man team skills challenge called “Drop in the Bucket”. The rules for this course required officers to enter a circle with only one hand to steer, while the other hand was used to grab tennis balls from the top of traffic cones and throw them into a center receptacle. Officers were disqualified if they touched their bars with two hands, knocked over a cone, put their foot down or dropped their bike.
Saturday’s competition closed out with what organizers called “Last Man Standing,” where all 23 officers piled into a small, coned-off square and had to ride ’til they dropped. Officers were required to stay on their bikes at all times, and couldn’t touch the ground with their feet to stabilize their bikes without being disqualified. Officer Eddie Chan of San Jose reportedly won the final event, although there was some disagreement over whether California Highway Patrol Officer Anthony Gioletti had been the last one to put his foot down.
The second annual motorcycle competition and fair raised over $2600 was raised for the Citrus Heights Police Activities League charity, with local businesses like Citrus Heights Saw & Mower and Sprout’s contributing raffle prizes, and others like Aba Daba Rentals, Signs in 1 Day and the Citrus Heights Rotary club making cash donations to support the event.
Prizes included a Glock pistol from Sacramento Black Rifle and motorcycle gear from companies that have done business with the police department. Competing officers also enjoyed meals donated by Citrus Heights’ Beach Hut Deli, Buffalo Wild Wings and the Sacramento County Law Enforcement Chaplaincy.
Saturday’s event also featured a kids bicycle rodeo, face-painting and bounce-houses for attendees, and a local high school student sang the national anthem to kick the day off.
The event was attended by several council members and was sponsored by the City of Citrus Heights and its police department, along with the support of local businesses.
Several lanes on Antelope Road at Sunrise Boulevard were shut down for five hours Monday, after officers responded to a motor scooter injury accident around 3 a.m. – just 12 hours later, Antelope Road lanes were shut down again when a bicyclist collided with a vehicle just a few blocks away at the Auburn Road intersection.
Citrus Height police conduct investigation at Antelope Road and Auburn Boulevard, Monday.
The morning collision involved a scooter carrying two people, which reports say struck a median after sliding 250 feet along the ground. Police said the afternoon collision involved a bicyclist crossing Antelope Road against a red light, who struck a van that was lawfully in the intersection.
The morning collision resulted in several lanes being closed for five hours during commute time as police conducted an investigation, and lanes were closed again in the afternoon for about an hour.
Police said no helmets were worn by those involved in both the morning and afternoon crashes, and all three persons were hospitalized with injuries ranging from moderate to critical.
A Citrus Heights Police Department press release sent out after Monday’s injury accidents reminded bicyclists “to obey all rules of the road, including riding with the flow of traffic, and to protect themselves by wearing a helmet.”
The CHPD requests that anyone who may have seen the afternoon collision contact their Traffic Unit at 916-727-5500.
