The Pinole Police Department reported that they were called to an armed robbery in progress in Bill's Liquors on San Pablo Avenue at approximately 6:53 PM, where individuals, armed and masked, had made off with alcohol after wreaking pellet-fueled havoc. According to the Pinole Police Department, the suspects had split the scene before police arrived, one minute after the reported crime.
Witnesses placed the fleeing suspects on a trail toward Hercules in a chase that might have been ripped from a crime drama. Working in tandem with the Hercules Police Department, law enforcement quickly set up a dragnet. Officers used advanced drone technology supplied by Hercules PD to pinpoint the suspects' location. The Pinole Police Department stated they caught all five suspects, with the birds-eye aid ensuring no extended chase nor altercations marred the arrests.
The suspects, five male juveniles, had burst into the liquor store armed with Orbeez guns — toy guns that fire gel balls — and launched their non-lethal ammunition at the clerk before nabbing their illicit goods. The fast-acting response of the Pinole and Hercules police departments was deemed critical in the successful capture of the culprits, whose escapade ended less than a day after it began.
Law enforcement praised the efficiency of the coordinated effort that brought the event to a brisk conclusion. "Thanks to the coordinated efforts and swift response of both police departments, all suspects were taken into custody without further incident", announced the Pinole Police Department.
