Long Beach police Saturday announced the arrest of two armed robbery suspects, one of whom is allegedly linked to five more robberies at gunpoint.
The two suspects were arrested following an armed robbery Monday, Sept. 23, in a small North Long Beach shopping center at Cherry Avenue and Artesia Boulevard, according to a statement from the Long Beach Police Department.
Officers spotted the suspects’ vehicle, leading to a brief pursuit when the driver failed to yield, police said. Two men fled when the vehicle struck a curb and came to a stop, and both were arrested. Officers allegedly found a firearm and evidence connecting them to the robbery.
The suspects were identified as James Pierce, 49, of Long Beach and Jose Angel Rios Pinedo, 29, of Maywood.
Pierce was booked for suspicion of resisting a police officer and possessing a controlled substance, police said.
Pinedo was booked for suspicion of robbery, threatening with intent to terrorize, firearms charges and reckless driving, police said.
Police said detectives checked into similar robberies in 2023 and 2024, reviewing surveillance footage and identifying suspect vehicles, and determined Pinedo allegedly was responsible for five other robberies in North Long Beach dating back to July 27, 2023.
Police said the robberies occurred at:
- A gas station at 5400 Atlantic Ave. on July 27, 2023
- A gas station at Atlantic Avenue and South Street on Nov. 30, 2023
- A 7-Eleven at 6151 Atlantic Avenue on Aug. 22, 2024
- A Family Dollar store at 5121 Atlantic Avenue on Sept. 9, 2024
- A laundromat at 621 E Market Street on Sept. 10, 2024
Police said they served a search warrant on Pinedo’s residence and located evidence related to the robberies.
Anyone with information was asked to call robbery detectives at 562- 570-7464 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
City News Service and Jeremiah Dobruck contributed to this report.