Police say arrests not connected to recent increased traffic enforcement on Cedar Springs
Dallas police say they’ve solved a string of armed robberies and carjackings that included at least four in the Oak Lawn area.
Ricardo Villanueva and Jose Luis Zamudio, both 17, along with two juveniles, are charged with multiple counts of aggravated robbery, according to Dallas Police Lt. Eric Webb.
Webb said the four teens are responsible for up to eight robberies in Dallas stretching back to January.
The four Oak Lawn robberies occurred from Feb. 1 through Feb. 3 at 3310 Douglas Ave., 4322 Bowser Ave., 3911 Fairmount St. and 4000 Rawlins St., according to police reports. The suspects threatened victims with guns and baseball bats, and in some cases took their vehicles.
The suspects were arrested Feb. 4 after police observed them traveling in a white Ford Explorer in the 3100 block of Rawlins Street, Webb said. The vehicle had been stolen in the Fairmount Street robbery.
Police said the four teens are from Pleasant Grove and traveled to northeast and northwest Dallas to commit the crimes.
Villanueva was being held on $110,000 bond, according to Dallas county jail records. Zamudio was being held on $25,000 bond.
Police said the arrests can’t be attributed directly to increased traffic enforcement on the Cedar Springs strip.
The stolen vehicle was spotted at about 10:30 p.m., while most of the traffic enforcement has taken place during the day.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition February 13, 2009.