A fourth suspect connected to a violent home invasion robbery in Redwood City in April was arrested last week in Tehama County, police said.
Cristian Gutierrez, 31, was located by the US Marshal Service Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force and was subsequently booked into Tehama County Jail. On Friday, Gutierrez was transported to the San Mateo County Jail, police said. Other suspects arrested in connection with the robbery are Joshua Plancartte, 32, Edgar Adrian Romo, 19 and Edgar Flores Villesenor, 30.
The incident occurred in the 1700 block of Oak Avenue about 10:27 p.m. on April 22, when the suspects forced their way into a home after the victim answered a knock at the door. The suspects immediately stunned the victim using a Taser-type device, then bound the victim’s hands with plastic zip ties, police said. As he was being assaulted, other suspects ran through the residence in search of the female victim.
“Once located, she was viciously struck over the head with a handgun causing a massive laceration to her forehead,” police said. “Two suspects ransacked the residence looking for valuables and departed taking with them a large safe, a purse and watches.”
The suspects fled in a waiting vehicle. The male victim was treated at the scene for his injuries and the female was transported to the hospital to treat a gaping wound to her forehead, police said.
During the ensuing investigation, Redwood City police detectives searched the scene and located “critical pieces of evidence” that led to the identification of the suspects. The detectives then conducted surveillance on the suspects’ residences for several weeks, eventually obtaining search and arrest warrants for each of them, police said.
On Aug. 4, Redwood City detectives executed search and arrest warrants at the suspects’ residences with the assistance of SWAT teams from police departments in Sacramento, Folsom, Elk Grove and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Three of the four suspects were taken into custody without incident.
While executing the search warrants, detectives also seized “an AR-15 rifle, a bolt action rifle, a Kahr Arms 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a 1911 .45 Colt semi-automatic pistol, numerous Glock gun parts, .223 and .45 caliber ammunition, and additional evidence, including body armor and US currency, linking the suspects to the crimes,” police said.
Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Figueroa at 650-780-7129, or the Redwood City Police Department’s tip line at 650-780-7110.
Photo courtesy of the Redwood City Police Department
