Suspects Arrested in Connection with Series of Robberies in Riverside County

Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Jason Gore

File Number: Multiple

Date: 19th November 2023

A recent series of armed robberies in Riverside County has been successfully resolved with the arrest of two suspects. On the evening of November 19, 2023, deputies from the Lake Mathews Sheriff’s Station responded to a call regarding a robbery at gunpoint in the 17000 block of McAllister Street in Riverside. The case was subsequently taken over by the Lake Mathews Sheriff’s Station Special Enforcement Team (LMSET) for further investigation.

During their investigation, the LMSET discovered that the McAllister Street robbery was part of a pattern, with five similar incidents occurring in the city of Riverside. Collaborating with the Riverside Police Department’s Robbery/Homicide Unit, the deputies managed to obtain a description of the suspect vehicle. This crucial information allowed them to link the vehicle to four additional armed robberies that took place in the city of Perris. With the assistance of the Perris Sheriff’s Station Robbery/Burglary Suppression Team, the suspects were identified as Edgar Menchaca Martinez, a 31-year-old, and Arturo Romero, a 28-year-old, both residents of Perris.

On January 18, 2024, a joint operation involving the LMSET, Riverside Police Department Robbery/Homicide Unit, and Perris Sheriff’s Station Robbery/Burglary Suppression Team executed search warrants in the cities of Perris and Fullerton. The operation resulted in the arrest of Menchaca Martinez and Romero, who were taken into custody without incident. The search warrants also led to the discovery of numerous pieces of evidence linking the suspects to the armed robberies. Both Menchaca Martinez and Romero have been booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center on charges of robbery and additional felony charges. The investigation is still ongoing, and further details are currently unavailable.

The joint efforts between the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office and the Riverside Police Department Robbery/Homicide Unit have successfully put an end to Menchaca Martinez and Romero’s robbery spree, providing relief to the communities affected by their criminal activities.

Anyone with information related to these incidents is urged to contact Deputy Robert Staggs of the Lake Mathews Station Special Enforcement Team at 951-272-5600 or Riverside County Sheriff Dispatch at 951-776-1099. Additionally, individuals with additional information regarding incidents in the city of Riverside are encouraged to reach out to Riverside Police Detective William McGuigan at (951) 353-7103.

Media inquiries regarding this incident can be directed to the Media Information Bureau.

Suspect Profiles:

Arturo Romero	Edgar Menchaca Martinez

If you have any information related to these incidents, you can submit an anonymous tip through the See Something Say Something program.

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