Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Five Arrested in Series of 15 Armed Robberies

Four Newark men were arrested Aug. 25 in Newark in connection with a series of 15 armed robberies. A fifth Newark man was arrested by U.S. marshals in Hayward on Aug. 31.

Police have released the names of five Newark men arrested in connection with a series of 15 armed robberies at gas stations, convenience stores and restaurants spread throughout southern Alameda County.

Last Thursday, Fremont investigators and SWAT units from multiple police agencies, including Newark and Union City, . 

Andrew Heilman, 18; Omare Murphy, 18; Roger Perez, 18; and Orlando Zendejas, 20, were arrested during the Aug. 25 raid on suspicion of robbery and conspiracy, among other charges. According to online court records, Zendejas also faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon.

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The suspects’ names were not released until a fifth Newark man, 19-year-old Walter Simmons, was arrested by U.S. marshals Wednesday morning in Hayward, said Det. William Veteran of the Fremont Police Department. Simmons was also arrested on suspicion of robbery and conspiracy.

Simmons was believed to be the only suspect still at large, Veteran said.

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According to Veteran, the quintet is believed to be responsible for a number of armed robberies, including five that took place in Fremont, four in Newark, three in Hayward and one each in Milpitas, San Leandro and Union City. Two of the robberies occurred at Wingstop restaurants in Hayward and Fremont.

In each robbery, the suspects were armed with a shotgun and covered their faces with red bandannas and ski masks, Veteran said.

They are also believed to have been involved in a Newark home burglary where eight firearms were stolen, police said.

Simmons is expected to be arraigned at the Fremont Hall of Justice at 2 p.m. Thursday. Perez and Heilman scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 6 and Zendejas is to be arraigned on Sept. 7.

Heilman, Perez and Zendejas were booked into Santa Rita Jail, and Simmons was in custody at Fremont Jail as of Thursday morning. There was no court or booking information available for Murphy as of Thursday morning.

Bail is set at $50,000 for Perez and $890,000 for Zendejas. Bail amounts for the Heilman, Murphy and Simmons have not been set.


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