Salt Lake City police arrested three of four juvenile convenience store armed robbery suspects late Wednesday night, and are investigating any links to other recent holdups.
SLCPD Detective Keith Horrocks said investigators also suspect street gang ties to at least the most recent robbery, 11:20 p.m. Wednesday at the Maverik store,
310 S. 900 East.
A clerk told detectives that three male youths, wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts, entered the store and demanded money. One of the suspects brandished a handgun as another jumped over the counter and took money from the cash register.
The other suspects grabbed beer and cigarettes and then all three fled, jumping into a gray SUV outside and speeding away.
The store clerk described the SUV to police who later found the vehicle.
Soon thereafter, SLCPD officers spotted the suspect vehicle and attempted to pull it over. The four suspects stopped, bailed out of the vehicle and ran; three of them were quickly subdued but the fourth reportedly escaped along the Jordan River.
The three arrested males were booked into juvenile detention on armed robbery counts, Horrocks said. Their identities were withheld due to their minor status.
Anyone with information on the fourth suspect’s whereabouts is asked to call SLCPD at 801-799-3000, or anonymously text 274637 using the keyword “TIPSLCPD.”