GLENDALE, Calif. - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Glendale Police Department (PD) worked together to arrest an armed robbery crew yesterday in Glendale, California. The crew was apprehended within 24 hours of a heist that occurred in Tucson, Arizona. In October 2017, ATF began investigating an armed robbery crew targeting Verizon Wireless stores in Southern California. Approximately five Verizon store robberies believed to be related occurred across Southern California in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties in the last five months.
At approximately 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, a Verizon store in Tucson, Arizona was robbed during business hours. ATF Los Angeles Field Division special agents working with ATF Tucson agents determined the Tucson robbery may be related to the series of robberies occurring in Southern California. Agents were then able to track and locate the crew in Glendale, California.
Thursday, Feb. 1, four individuals, Zachary S. Wade, 41, of Long Beach, Gaspar Khachaturyan, 23, of Glendale, Marques A. Pettywright, 30, Long Beach, and Randall L. Tate, Jr., 29, Long Beach, were arrested without incident. A fifth individual from Glendale was detained and later released.
ATF works to reduce violent crime by targeting and dismantling those criminal groups and gangs posing the greatest threat to public safety. Through collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, ATF identifies and removes violent criminals from our communities. ATF with Glendale PD and the Los Angeles Police Department are continuing to work on this investigation.
ATF is asking individuals who have information on the robberies, and communities who have experienced similar robberies at Verizon stores, to call 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477).
For more information about Los Angeles ATF visit https://www.atf.gov/los-angeles-field-division and follow ATF on Twitter @ATFHQ or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HQATF
