Private video surveillance assists with the identification and arrest of a 19 year old Fremont resident on charges of attempted kidnapping while armed with a firearm.
On Saturday, April 21, 2018, at around 9:07 a.m., a 35-year-old adult female victim was walking with her toddler child on ValpeyPark Ave. near Butano Park Dr., when an unknown male parked his vehicle near the intersection and asked the victim for directions. He engaged her in conversation, stating he was lost. He then handed the victim his cellular phone and asked her to show him how to navigate to a nearby area. Once she was holding his phone, he displayed a handgun and told her to get into his car. The victim immediately picked up her child and fled on foot with the phone in her hand. The suspect exited his vehicle and yelled at the victim to give him the phone back. The victim threw the suspect’s phone towards him and fled the scene. The suspect picked up his phone and left the area in his vehicle.
Officers contacted neighbors in the area in an attempt to find any witnesses or possible surveillance footage. Private video was located at multiple residences, which depicted the suspect’s vehicle and his flight path from the scene of the crime.
On Sunday afternoon as the department was preparing a press release to notify the community of the incident, an alert swing shift patrol officer located the suspect’s vehicle driving in the area of Blacow Rd and Fremont Blvd at 4:28 p.m. Additional officers responded to assist with the vehicle stop. The vehicle yielded just south of Franklin Ave and Roberts Ave. The suspect complied with orders to step out of the vehicle and was detained. A Glock handgun, registered to the suspect, was recovered in the vehicle.
After further investigation and confirmation of identification, 19-year-old Alexander Arriola, a Fremont resident, was arrested. Detectives from the Crimes Against Persons Unit interviewed Arriola and presented the case to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. On April 24, Arriola was charged with two counts of attempted kidnapping, one count felony child endangerment, possession of a loaded firearm, and an enhancement for use of a firearm.
Investigators believe it is possible there are other unreported incidents that have occurred in our community. Anyone with information regarding any other incidents, or who has been involved in a similar incident, is asked to please contact the Fremont Police Department at 510-790-6900 or email Detective Holguin at [email protected]. We will also accept anonymous tips online at http://local.nixle.com/tip/alert/6523826 or via Text. Text ‘Tip FremontPD’ followed by your brief message to 888-777.
