A 25-year-old Long Beach man was charged Tuesday with participating in a series of daytime robberies that spanned five months, including the most recent armed robbery of two people outside a grocery store in Rowland Heights in July, officials said.
Dangelo Thomas, who was on parole for a “gang-related offense involving firearms” at the time of the Rowland Heights robbery, faces 12 counts of second-degree robbery and three counts of elder abuse following his arrest last month, authorities said.
Officials also charged Demoryie Watts, 21, with six counts of second-degree robbery and one count of elder abuse, and Eric Burham, 21, with one count of second-degree robbery in connection to the incident in Rowland Heights. Thomas and Watts also face special allegations of personally using a firearm, according to the DA’s office.
“These brazen crimes—all of which occurred during the day—are deeply troubling. The victims had their sense of safety shattered,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement Tuesday. “The majority of the people victimized were from the Asian American Community and I know that this has caused significant community trauma. I hope that all of those who have been impacted by this spree of violence sleep better tonight knowing that those who caused harm will be held accountable.”
On July 9, as a man and woman were loading items into their car after shopping at a 99 Ranch Market, Thomas and Watts, both armed, attacked the pair, pistol whipping the man before taking off with his Rolex, authorities said. The Rolex, according to the Los Angeles Times, was valued at $60,000.
Thomas was arrested on Aug. 31 in the 300 block of Lime Avenue in Long Beach. During a search of a Long Beach residence there, investigators allegedly located a loaded .45 caliber handgun and a loaded 9mm handgun. He is being held without bail.
Thomas is also accused of participating in eight other robberies, starting in April when he allegedly stole a Rolex watch, jewelry and cash from a 40-year-old man in Glendale.
In May, Thomas allegedly committed three robberies across Rosemead, La Puente and Temple City in the span of two hours, officials said. There, police said he stole another Rolex watch, a designer purse and cash.
The crime spree continued for the next several months, with the suspects at one point stealing $14,000 during a robbery in Temple City in June, officials said. The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Thomas, Watts and Burham were scheduled for arraignment Tuesday in Pomona. They have not entered a plea.