Woodland police arrested two men Monday on suspicion of robbing a victim of his tablet computer — and in the process linking one of the suspects to a similar incident that occurred the day before.
The investigation began at about 2:40 p.m. Monday when a Placer County resident reported being the victim of a strong-arm robbery in the County Fair Mall parking lot. Sgt. Aaron Delao said the 24-year-old man had come to Woodland to sell the tablet, which he had posted for sale on Craigslist.
He told police that two men arrived at the meeting place, and one asked to see the tablet while sitting in the passenger seat of a silver Toyota Echo. At that point the driver accelerated out of the parking lot, dragging the victim a short distance as he held on to the vehicle’s door frame.
Both suspects fled, but not before the victim memorized the Toyota’s license-plate number and relayed it to 911 dispatchers, Delao said.
Police tracked down the vehicle in the 1300 block of Tyler Drive, detaining 20-year-old Oscar Omar Gonzalez, who Delao said matched the victim’s description of the driver. He was arrested on suspicion of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
Officers later added a theft count in connection with an iPhone theft that occurred Sunday on Cottonwood Street. Delao said a different victim identified Gonzalez as the man who arranged to purchase the phone via Craigslist, but drove away without paying for it.
Police also arrested a second suspect, 18-year-old Eduardo Orozco of Colusa County, in the 1400 block of Washington Street, on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and multiple outstanding warrants. Both he and Gonzalez were lodged at the Yolo County Jail.
The tablet allegedly stolen during Monday’s incident was later recovered.
Delao said anyone who may have been the victim of a similar crime is urged to call the Woodland Police Department at 530-661-7800.
— Reach Lauren Keene at lkeene@davisenterprise.net or 530-747-8048. Follow her on Twitter at @laurenkeene