CERES, Calif. — Three people have been arrested after a teen was assaulted and robbed at a Ceres park early Wednesday morning.
The victim, a 19-year-old man, told police he was sitting at Neel Park on Boothe Road when a van pulled up and several men got out, at least one of the men was armed.
The victim said he was knocked to the ground and assaulted before the suspects took his fanny pack, belt and shoes. During the attack the victim was cut on the head and suffered injuries to his right knee. After the attack he drove himself to the hospital for treatment and called the police.
Ceres Police went to Neel Park after another person reported a robbery with suspects matching the same description. In the second robbery, the 29-year-old victim told police he was approached by several men in a van. When the men told the second victim to give them everything he had, the victim told the suspects he only had a cell phone. The victim said the suspects told him to throw his cell phone into the park before the suspects drove away.
The 29-year-old man was not assaulted.
45 minutes later, Ceres Police Officer Eric Souza saw a van matching the description near Lawrence and Ninth Street. He attempted to stop the van, before the suspects took off leading to a brief police chase.
The van turned into an alley off of Roeding Road and the four suspects inside got out and ran. Officers began searching for the suspects with the assistance of the Modesto Police Department's drone and the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department Patrol Deputies and air unit.
Three of the suspects were found hiding in different places.
Police arrested Raul Arias, 18, Antonia Miranda, 19, and a 17-year-old who was not named.
Police have not released any information on the fourth suspect.
A handgun was found near the van and the items stolen from the victim at Neely Park was found inside the van.
Police are actively investigating. If you have any information, call Detective Matthew Berlier at (209) 538-5616.
Surveillance footage from a nearby church proved Sandeep Singh never stopped or even slowed down when he passed by a 14-year-old girl, who claimed he kidnapped her. When confronted with the evidence, the girl admitted she made the whole story up.