Three arrested
Newark Police arrest three suspects in June 9 food market robbery
8:43 a.m., June 17, 2013--Newark Police have arrested three men in connection with the June 9 armed robbery of the Mi Ranchito food market on North Chapel Street.
During the robbery, two suspects entered the store and, after one displayed a handgun, ordered two employees and a customer to the rear of the building. The suspects then tied the hands of two of the victims behind their back, and demanded money from the third victim.
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After the suspects received an undisclosed amount of money, police said they tied the hands of the third victim and then fled the store.
The suspects have been identified by police as Cesar Flores, 42, of 813 W. 4th St., Wilmington; Bryant A. Harris, 42, of 623 W. 3rd St., Wilmington; and Jose Becerra, 37, of 306 N. Lincoln St., Wilmington.
Flores has been charged with one count of robbery in the first degree, one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, one count of possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited, two counts of aggravated menacing, one count of wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony and one count of conspiracy in the second degree.
Harris has been charged with one count of robbery, three counts of kidnapping in the second degree and one count of conspiracy in the second degree, and Becerra has been charged with one count of robbery in the first degree and one count of conspiracy in the second degree.
Using surveillance video from the network of video cameras throughout the business district, detectives captured images of two of the suspects walking on East Main Street immediately prior to the robbery.
The same surveillance cameras captured images of the suspects fleeing the area in a silver Honda Accord immediately following the robbery.
Detectives obtained registration information on the fleeing vehicle and located the vehicle at 623 W. 3rd St. in Wilmington, and learned that the vehicle had previously been operated by Harris, of that address.
Using video surveillance, detectives then identified Harris as one of the subjects captured on surveillance video, according to the police report. On June 13, detectives executed a search warrant at the house and took Harris into custody without incident.
Police said detectives developed additional information identifying Flores as the second subject involved in the robbery. Surveillance units observed Flores leaving his residence and he was taken into custody following a traffic stop with assistance from the Wilmington Police Department.
Police said detectives developed further information that the third subject, Becerra, who they said is a relative of an employee of Mi Ranchito, had provided information to Flores and Harris, which facilitated them in the robbery. Becerra was arrested on June 14 at his residence by officers with the Wilmington Police Department.