Description of Suspects in Armed Robbery of Resident

El Cerrito police today, Tuesday, released descriptions of three men who next to his home Friday.

Also released were details about the crime, which occurred after the resident saw the men acting suspiciously and stepped in front of their car and took photos of them, according to a police news release this afternoon.

About noon Friday, police were dispatched to 1300 block of Contra Costa Drive on the report of an armed robbery that had just occurred, police said.

Upon arrival, they found that a man who was exiting his home had "noticed a suspicious vehicle in his neighbor’s driveway that was occupied by three subjects," according to the release prepared by Detective Corporal Gilbert Tang.

The resident saw two of the men walk up to his neighbor’s porch where they "appeared to be acting suspicious," police said. The other man remained in the car.

The man in the car noticed the resident and "yelled at the other suspects to warn them about the resident’s presence," police said. The two men returned to the car.

"As the vehicle was driving away from the scene, the resident stood in front of the vehicle blocking its path," the news release said. "The resident then contacted the suspects and took photographs of them and the vehicle. The suspects then exited the vehicle and brandished firearms while demanding the resident’s property. After taking the resident’s property, the suspects fled the area in the vehicle."

The car was described as mid-2000s, possibly a gray four-door Ford Taurus.

The suspects were all described as Hispanic males in their 20s. One was about 5-feet 8-inches tall, weighing about 170 pounds, with short brown hair combed back. Another was about 5-feet 10-inches, about 160 pounds, with curly black hair. And the third was about 5-feet 9-inches, about 180 pounds, with short brown hair.

The news release did not indicate whether a cell phone or camera was used by the resident to take the photos or whether the device was taken by the robbers. Patch has requested that information from the police department.

The release cautioned residents about confronting suspicious people.

"The El Cerrito Police Department is committed to partnering with its citizens to deter crime, but would like to remind its citizens to not confront suspicious persons on their own," the statement said. "Citizens should call any suspicious activity to the police at (510) 237-3233 or 911 for crimes in progress. When calling, citizens should provide a detail description, direction of flight and time frame."

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