In a string of events that rattled the quiet composure of Santa Rosa, the local police department has swiftly brought an end to a series of armed robberies targeting gas stations in the area. Between January 10 and January 15, Santa Rosa saw four such incidents, each involving an armed and masked suspect. The Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) has identified 23-year-old Damian Garza as the man behind these crimes, and they credit Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology for the breakthrough.
The SRPD detectives were able to quickly link Garza to a grey Acura sedan seen at each crime scene, thanks to ALPR cameras that captured license plates of nearby vehicles. A statement from the Santa Rosa Police noted, "Detectives located a grey Acura sedan that was in the area of each of the gas stations at times consistent with the robberies and attempted robberies." They managed to effectively utilize this technology to slowly zero in on the suspect.
The sequence of robberies began last Saturday, at a Valero gas station, where the suspect made off with an undisclosed sum of cash. This was followed by an attempted robbery three days later at a different Valero location, which was foiled when the store clerk escaped. The latest incidents occurred yesterday; one at a Shell gas station and a repeat offense at the 1101 Yulupa Avenue Valero, both involving a concealed rifle or shotgun but differing in outcome, with the latter resulting in stolen cash and merchandise.
Upon executing a search warrant at Garza's residence, detectives discovered clothing matching descriptions from each incident and a pellet rifle, amongst other evidence. "During the search warrant, detectives located clothing consistent with each of the robberies, merchandise believed to have been stolen from one of the gas stations, and a pellet rifle," was reported in an announcement from the SRPD's Facebook page. Garza, linked to another robbery in December, was booked on five counts of robbery per 211 PC.
