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POMONA (CNS) - Three men were charged today with a robbery in which more than $22,000 in cash and property were allegedly taken from a couple in Diamond Bar.
Rynell Verdin, Mattron Brown and Arturo Gonzalez pleaded not guilty to two counts each of second-degree robbery and one count each of grand theft from an elder, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Verdin is also facing a misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property, according to the District Attorney's Office.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department did not specify the date of the alleged crime, but said earlier this week that more than $22,000 in cash and property were taken in what it called a ``home invasion robbery'' involving an ``elderly married couple'' who were allegedly ``forced into their living room at gunpoint and had shirts placed over their heads.''
``Approximately $17,000 cash, three illegally possessed firearms, personal items belonging to the victims, as well (as) clothing and ski masks worn during the robbery were recovered," according to the statement released by the sheriff's department. The sheriff's department said search warrants were served Wednesday morning at homes in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, and Verdin, 25, Brown, 29, and Arturo Gonzalez, whose age was not immediately available, were taken into custody. Authorities were trying to determine if the robbery was linked with any other similar crimes in Southern California, according to the sheriff's department.