Cops Arrest Suspect in Camera Thefts of Bay Area TV Crews
/Back on July 2nd, FTVLive told you KNTV (San Francisco) news crew was attacked and robbed of their gear.
The brazen attack occurred at Pier 14 in San Francisco, where the reporter and photographer were covering a story about a woman who had been shot to death there the night before. A crew from KTVU was also robbed at the same scene.
Now, police have arrested a known gang member with an extensive criminal in the brazen robbery of the two news crews.
San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr said Michael A. Jones was taken into custody in after a tussle with arresting officers outside a Motel 6 in Fremont following an intense investigation and manhunt by his department. Two other suspects remain at large.
“Inspectors from the SFPD were able to find the suspect vehicle and knew the driver was Michael Jones… (He was) known to them as an affiliate with a local gang here in San Francisco,” Suhr told KTVU.
Suhr said the gang was “known to be engaged in robberies, auto burglaries and other crime in San Francisco.
An undercover surveillance was set up of Jones and probable cause was developed leading to his arrest.
Jones, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from the news crew attack, was set to make a court appearance Wednesday to set the date for a preliminary hearing.
Jones has been charged with robbery, aggravated assault, grand theft and conspiracy.
More arrests were expected in the news crew attack.
“We do have leads on the other two suspects,” Suhr told KTVU. “We are very hopeful that we will get them in custody.”
While some stolen items were recovered, Suhr said, the stolen cameras had not been recovered.