Police Arrest Pair in Dec. 3 Armed Robbery
Police have arrested two men suspected in the Dec. 3 armed robbery of the Lohman Food Mart in Las Cruces.
Anthony Gonzalez, 22, of the 1500 block of Foster Road, and Michael Hernandez, 23, of the 500 block of south San Pedro Street, are charged with one second-degree felony count of armed robbery and one third-degree felony count of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
About 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, Las Cruces police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery that occurred at the Lohman Food Mart, 926 E. Lohman Ave. Officers arrived and learned the two suspects fled on foot south of the store. Investigators obtained surveillance images from the store’s security camera but were unable to immediately identify the suspects.
Three days later, on Dec. 6, a Las Cruces police officer spotted a man matching the description of one of the suspects walking along a roadway. The man was wearing the same red shirt and white bandana seen in the surveillance video. The man, identified as Hernandez, was found to be in possession of heroin and was detained. During an interview, Hernandez acknowledged his involvement in the armed robbery and indicated that his friend, Anthony Gonzalez, planned it.
Investigators learned that Gonzalez and Hernandez planned the armed robbery. Investigators determined that Hernandez entered the store and purchased a pack of cigarettes. As the cashier opened the register Gonzalez – who was armed with a knife – rushed over, knocked her out of the way and stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the register. The two suspects then fled from the store heading south.
The cashier was not physically injured during the incident.
Hernandez was arrested on Dec. 6 and Gonzalez was arrested Dec. 11. Both are currently incarcerated at the Dona Ana County Detention Center where they were initially being held without bond.
