Brothers jailed, third suspect sought in violent Covina robbery

VIDEO courtesy of the Covina PD: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMb3uP9Q13I&feature=plcp 


60813-SV22-ROBBERS Moises Ortega, 20, of Covina-thumb-300x375-60812.jpg
COVINA — Two brothers were behind bars Thursday and police sought a third suspect in connection with a violent robbery at a tobacco shop.
Moises Ortega, 20, and Valentin Ortega, 18, both of Covina, were booked on suspicion of robbery and kidnapping following their arrests shortly after 3 p.m. Wednesday, according to Covina police officials and county booking records.
A third suspects, identified by police at 18-year-old Claude Aaron Gonzales, of West Covina, was also suspected of taking part in the robbery but remained at-large Thursday
The crime took place shorty after 2:40 p.m. at a store in the 800 block of East Badillo Avenue, Covina police Sgt. Gregg Peterson said.
All three suspect entered the store together before they separated and one of them approached the counter ass if to make a purchase, police officials said in a written statement.
“As the clerk opened the cash register to complete the transaction, one of the suspects jumped the counter and attacked the clerk,” the statement said.
“The suspect began choking the clerk and pulled him away from the register and down to the ground,” the statement said.
60815-SV22-ROBBERS Valintin Ortega, 18, of Covina-thumb-300x375-60814.jpg
Meanwhile, the other two robbers helped themselves to about $400 from the open cash drawer before all three ran away, police said.
Moises and Valentin Ortega were found during a search of the area, while a third suspect, later identified as Gonzales, escaped.
The clerk was treated at the scene by paramedics for minor injuries but was not taken to a hospital, Peterson said.
According to county booking records, Moises and Valentin Ortega were being held in lieu of $100,000 bail pending their initial appearance Friday in West Covina Superior Court.
60817-SV22-ROBBERS Claude Gonzales, 18, of West Covina-thumb-300x351-60816.jpg
PHOTOS: Top to bottom: Moises Ortega, Valntin Ortega, Claude Gonzales (Courtesy of the Covina Police Department)

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