SAN FRANCISCO—Two suspects have been arrested by the San Francisco Police Department for their role in a strong-arm robbery that transpired on August 26. The SFPD reported that at approximately 2:32 p.m., officers were called to the region of Van Ness Avenue and Sutter Street after a call for an attempted robbery of a handbag. The caller informed police a firearm involved.
Officers were informed by the victim she was walking on the sidewalk when an unknown suspected grabbed her purse. A struggle for the handbag transpired and the victim fell to the ground. A bystander came to the aid of the victim, and the suspect let go of the purse and fled in their vehicle.
The SFPD Robbery Unit released a department-wide email with a photo of the vehicle involved in the incident. At approximately 4:15 p.m., an officer spotted the vehicle in the region of Hyde and Chestnut Streets and notified officers patrolling in the area.
Officers in plainclothes and assigned to another undercover operation, located the suspect vehicle and maintained surveillance of that vehicle, while a plan was formulated with marked patrol units and supervisors, to stop the vehicle as safely as possible within Department policy.
During this observation of the suspect vehicle, plainclothes units witnessed several attempted robberies, along with a robbery. When officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, the occupants failed to yield, and a pursuit commenced. The pursuit was terminated in the area of Embarcadero and Bryant when both suspects, identified as Francisco Zamora, 18, of Oakland and Darren Nguyen, 18, of Alameda, exited their vehicle and a foot pursuit ensued. Officers were able to detain both suspects and seized loaded firearms from Zamora and Nguyen. Probable cause allowed officers to arrested Zamora and Nguyen.
Zamora was booked into San Francisco County Jail #1 on the charges of robbery (211 PC in the 2nddegree), four counts of conspiracy (182(a)(1) PC), receiving stolen property (496(a) PC), carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle (25400(a)(1) PC), carrying a concealed firearm (25400(a)(2) PC, carrying a loaded firearm (25850(a) PC), armed with a firearm during the commission of a felony (12022(a)(1) PC), three counts of attempted robbery (664/211 in the 2nd degree), resisting, delaying or obstructing a police officer (148(a)(1) PC), and proof of registration (4462(b) CVC.
Nguyen was booked into San Francisco County Jail #1 on the charges of robbery (211 PC in the 2nddegree), four counts of conspiracy (182(a)(1) PC), receiving stolen property (496(a) PC), reckless evading of a peace officer (2800.2(a) CVC), carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle (25400(a)(1) PC), carrying a loaded firearm (25850(a) PC), three counts of attempted robbery (664/211 in the 2nddegree), resisting, delaying or obstructing a police officer (148(a)(1) PC), proof of registration (4462(b) CVC, carrying a concealed firearm (25400(a)(2) PC), and armed with a firearm during the commission of a felony (12022(a)(1) PC).
The SFPD are still investigating the case. Anyone with details should call the SFPD Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.
