6 arrested in Valley 'zip tie' robberies

Police estimate $365,000 stolen from stores
Andrew Pentis

The Arizona Republic
Oct. 24, 2007 12:00 AM

Mesa police have six men they say are linked to a string of armed robberies dubbed the "zip tie" robberies.

Mesa police Chief George Gascòn said Tuesday that the suspects, three from Mesa and three from Gilbert, are facing felony charges in connection with seven robberies in Mesa, Phoenix and Buckeye.

The nickname came from the robbers' use of plastic zip ties to bind people in the robberies.


Each of the robberies had a similar modus operandi, according to police. The men maintained certain roles during each incident and would force customers to the back of the store and tie them up.

In one case, one of the men pointed a gun at an 11-year-old girl and tied her up. In another, one of the suspects beat a storeowner and fired four shots from a gun.

Police estimated $365,000 was stolen during the series of robberies. But the suspects always stole money from the stores and never the customers, police said.

Three of the Mesa robberies were at small groceries and one was at a 99-cent store.

Assistant Police Chief John Meza described the men as an "organized crime group."

He said four of the six men are undocumented immigrants.

The men conducted their own surveillance and made minor purchases at the stores prior to robbing them.

They never wore masks or hid themselves, though, according to police.



Police organized an armed-robbery task force, made up of one sergeant and eight detectives to solve the crimes. Investigators worked 37 straight hours at one point, police said.

A seventh suspect was also arrested in suspicion of forgery charges but did not actively participate in the robberies.

Those arrested were: Juan Mendez, 32; Kalib Jivran Mondragon, 21; Humberto Ochoa-Alvarado, 30; Juan Felipe Torres, 25; Javier Rodriguez Robledo, 26; and Miguel Mendez, 35.

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