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BEVERLY HILLS (CNS) - Three suspects have been arrested in connection with a series of armed robberies in Beverly Hills and surrounding cities, and four additional suspects were outstanding, police said today.
Detectives and SWAT officers from the Beverly Hills Police Department conducted arrest warrant operations in Hemet, Banning and Winchester on Thursday and arrested Jeremy Hays, 19, Ronald Christopher Mendez-Cantu Jr., 19, and an unnamed 15-year-old boy who were ``believed to be responsible for a series of armed robberies in 2021 in Beverly Hills and other Southern California cities,'' according to the BHPD.
SWAT team members from the Santa Monica Police Department, North Orange County, Riverside County, Hemet, Murrieta and Menifee police departments provided support for the joint operation, which also included the Irvine, Brea and Upland police department, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the FBI and the United States Secret Service.
Authorities recovered several pieces of evidence allegedly connecting the suspects to the crimes during searches of their homes, including a semi-automatic handgun that had been illegally converted to full-automatic.
Hays, Mendez-Cantu and the 15-year-old were booked on suspicion of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, and their bail was set at $100,000.
A BHPD investigation into the robberies revealed four other suspects, who remain outstanding.
Arrest warrants were issued for 21-year-old Darrell Skakhan Hollawayne, Jr. of Hemet, 19-year-old Mahmoud Fathi Salah of Hemet, 20-year-old Desmond Jay Hines of Winchester, and 20-year-old Dmari Josiah Beed of Murrieta.
Police said they should be considered armed and dangerous.
Anyone with information on the suspects' whereabouts was asked to contact the BHPD tip line at 310-288-2656 or the watch commander at 310-285- 2125. Anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.