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.
The neighbor who single-handedly detained three juveniles in the middle of the street after an alleged vehicle burglary Wednesday was aided by a personal firearm, a sergeant from the Citrus Heights Police Department (CHPD) said today – adding that the Department prefers uniformed officers handle such situations.
CHPD Sergeant Mike Wells made the following statement today in an email to The Sentinel regarding the Department’s position on the use of firearms by residents: [box]“The Citrus Heights Police Department appreciates citizens being aware of the incidents occurring in their neighborhood and contacting police when illegal activity occurs. However, we do not encourage residents to actively get involved with the detention of individuals suspected of crimes, particularly utilizing a firearm to accomplish this task. A citizen bringing a firearm into the equation can potentially cause greater harm than good. The three subjects could have overwhelmed the citizen and taken the firearm and it’s also difficult for responding officers to determine if the subject with the weapon is a suspect or well intentioned resident. We encourage residents to be good witnesses and provide updates of the suspects location and allow uniformed officers to handle the apprehension.”[/box]
“I’m not discouraging anyone from using a firearm to defend themselves, if serious bodily injury or death is imminent and the firearm is needed to prevent this from occurring,” the sergeant later clarified in a phone interview. “However residents need to weigh out the seriousness of the crime and whether or not they would be best served to let police intervene and be a good witness until police arrive.”
Although the neighbor is not facing any charges for his involvement, Sergeant Wells said — before involving a firearm — gun owners should question, “Is this a life or death situation? Or is this just a property crime.”
Wells also said under the newly passed Proposition 47, the teens’ charge for possession of stolen property will be a misdemeanor rather than a felony, since the electronics were valued at less than $950. The Department’s Police Chief Christopher Boyd, as well as the entire Citrus Heights city council, officially opposed the proposition, which reclassified many felonies to misdemeanors if they were considered “non-serious and nonviolent.”
The teens were also arrested for possession of burglary tools as well as “conspiracy” charges, which Wells said comes in to play when more than one person works together to commit a crime.
— The Sentinel wants to know: What would you have done if you saw three teens breaking into a neighbor’s vehicle at 2 a.m.? Post your comment below:
