Two Salinas men were arrested in downtown Hollister on Friday
after they were accused of trying to exchange two stolen checks for
cash at Su Casita Multi Servicios, 439 San Benito St.
Two Salinas men were arrested in downtown Hollister on Friday after they were accused of trying to exchange two stolen checks for cash at Su Casita Multi Servicios, 439 San Benito St.
Police arrested Juan Mogo-Vicente, 31, and Alvaro Luna, 27, on suspicion of burglary, possession of a stolen check, conspiracy of two or more people and resisting arrest, according to a San Benito County Jail report. The pair also is suspected in multiple other burglaries in the area, said Hollister police Capt. Carlos Reynoso, noting how there were no weapons involved.
The incident was reported at 1:21 p.m., right after a group of customers left the store. The two suspects were the only customers in the store when they attempted to cash in the stolen checks, police alleged.
Su Casita owner Patricia Castro became suspicious of the two men after she had noticed one of the names on the checks belonged to a regular customer of hers.
“I knew it wasn’t him – big mistake,” she said.
Castro contended the checks were stolen from Big Valley Labor, LLC in King City on Thursday. She received a message from the company Friday morning that listed more than 30 checks that were stolen and canceled.
After asking the two suspects for their identification cards – which they said they lost – and cross referencing the checks with the list, Castro called the police around 1:25 p.m.
Afterward, she stalled them while waiting for police to arrive, according to surveillance camera footage shown to the Free Lance at the store.
“I took my time so they didn’t leave,” she said.
As Castro stalled, coworker Abraham Mendes closed the front door when the two suspects were distracted. After several minutes, the suspects became worried and began to flee.
Mendes, standing by the front door, tried to stop the suspects. But after a short tussle they left the store, according to the surveillance camera footage. Mendes then chased after them.
Police, who were approaching the door, chased after the suspects and arrested them separately outside Paine’s Restaurant on East Street and Eight Ball Bail Bonds on Monterey Street, Reynoso said. The sheriff’s office helped with the arrest.
The suspects tried to cash in two checks valued at $447.12 each, Su Casita teller Maria Diosdado said. Earlier in the month, the suspects and a third person cashed in a total of $2,036.26 worth of checks – also believed to be stolen.
The suspects were booked into the San Benito County Jail.
