* Joseph Jenkins Arrested For Alleged Robberies at Westfield Valley Fair Mall
Published by Junior Staff Writer on January 1, 2011
ID #10-311
Police tonight arrested a man suspected of robbing a store at gunpoint and carjacking a customer in the Westfield Valley Fair mall in Santa Clara in December, a San Jose police sergeant said. Joseph Jenkins, a 28-year-old transient, was arrested at about 5 p.m. after he allegedly tried to flee police at a homeless encampment near East Capitol Expressway and Senter Road, Sgt. Ronnie Lopez said. He had a machete, replica rifle and replica pistol that were consistent with items used during the robberies, Lopez said. The first robbery was committed on the evening of Dec. 23 at a Men’s Wearhouse store inside the mall, police said. A man in a trench coat allegedly armed with a rifle demanded money from the clerk, and left with an undisclosed amount of cash. Then, armed with a knife, he allegedly carjacked a Nissan Altima nearby on Cecil Avenue, police said. The man also allegedly pointed a rifle at a Club Monaco store employee earlier that night and demanded money, but left without anything. He then tried to carjack a woman at gunpoint in a parking garage near a Nordrom store, police said. Jenkins was identified as the suspect in all four incidents, and police in San Jose and Santa Clara were searching for him because the mall is on the border of the two cities. San Jose police responded to the homeless encampment tonight after receiving information that Jenkins was there, Lopez said. Another homeless person directed the officers to Jenkins’ area. Jenkins saw the officers and allegedly tried to run, so police shot him with a Taser stun gun and arrested him, Lopez said. He was booked in county jail on several charges of robbery, attempted robbery and carjacking. During the investigation, police linked Jenkins to additional robberies in Sunnyvale, Lopez said.
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