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Serial Robber arrested while preparing to strike again


Modesto, CA- Modesto Police Detectives arrest a serial robber who targeted the Little Caesars Pizza in Modesto, Ceres and Riverbank.

In December the Little Caesars Pizza on Paradise road was targeted for a takeover style robbery. Days later the same store was robbed again. In the second case the suspect approached an employee while walking to his car with the stores deposits.

The following week the Little Caesars Pizza in Ceres was robbed as an employee was again walking to his car. After other robberies began to occur in Riverbank.

As a result of the three-month series of robberies the Modesto Police Department Robbery Division contacted franchise owners and together they started to identify possible suspects and patterns. Franchise owners and employees worked closely with detectives to change policies, train staff and provide investigators with constant information of suspicious persons and behaviors. Through the partnership of the franchise owners, employees and the investigative follow up detectives were able to identify a suspect Reynaldo Morales, 19 of Modesto.

Detectives began watching Morales and observed him driving in the area of the Little Caesars Pizza at Whitmore and Crowslanding in Modesto along with an unidentified male. Reynaldo then left the parking lot and after a short time returned to the same Little Caesars.

Based on the behaviors of Morales as well as the potential danger to citizens, it was determined that Morales would be contacted prior to a potential robbery occurring. Morales and his passenger a 16-year-old juvenile of Modesto were contacted and a loaded 380-caliber handgun was inside the vehicle.

Once interviewed Morales implicated himself in the robberies and was booked into Stanislaus County Jail for Robbery and Attempted Robbery.

The 16-year-old juveniles fingerprints were matched to one of the victim’s cars from a prior robbery, and he was booked into Stanislaus County Juvenile Hall for Robbery and Attempted Robbery.


The owners and employees of the Little Caesars franchise should be commended for their outstanding efforts to work closely with law enforcement to affect changes within their organization for the safety of its employees and patrons.

At this time police ask anyone with information to contact Modesto Area Crimestoppers at 521-4636 or text a tip to “274637” include the word TIP704 in your tip.