Suspect arrested in violent robbery spree in San Jose involving rear-ending victims
SAN JOSE -- Police arrested a suspect in a series of violent robberies in December and January which included intentionally rear-ending vehicles and then robbing the drivers at gunpoint.
San Jose police said the first incident happened on December 27 in the area of Blue Mountain Drive and Mount McKinley Drive in East San Jose. The victim told officers she was intentionally rear-ended and then the suspect stole her personal property and threatened to shoot her if she followed him.
Robbery detectives were able to identify the suspect in the incident as 22-year-old San Jose resident Brian Valverde. Police said during the investigation, which included the use of automated license plate reader cameras, Valverde was also identified as the person responsible for a string of subsequent South Bay robberies.
Police listed the following timeline:
January 5: A strong-armed purse snatch robbery occurred in the parking lot of Bay 101 Casino in San José.
January 22: An armed robbery with a firearm occurred in the 3000 block of Stevens Creek Boulevard in Santa Clara.
January 23: An assault with a deadly weapon occurred at Matrix Casino in San José. The victim was walking towards the casino when a male suspect approached her with a four-to-six-inch knife. The victim attempted to flee, when the suspect pointed an object that resembled a gun towards the victim and the victim felt contact on the heel of her foot, but did not result in a serious injury.
January 28: A robbery and vandalism occurred in the area of Monterey Road and Senter Road in San José. The suspect intentionally rear-ended the victim and stole the victim's personal property.
January 28: A robbery and vandalism occurred in the 1900 block of The Alameda in San José. The suspect intentionally rear-ended the victim and stole the victim's personal property.
On January 30, robbery detectives arrested suspect Valverde in San José. Police said a search of his home found evidence of narcotic sales.
Valverde was charged with multiple counts of robbery, grand theft, assault with a deadly weapon, and narcotics sales.
Police asked anyone with information about these cases or similar cases to contact Detective Van Brande #4542 of the San José Police Robbery Unit via email: 4542@sanjoseca.gov or at 408-277-4166.
