Pleasanton police investigate 2 armed robberies, gunshots at Rose Pavilion, Nation’s Restaurant

Pleasanton police captured a 19-year-old San Ramon man after shots were fired in an armed robbery in the Rose Pavilion parking lot Thursday night and are searching for a man and woman suspected of robbing Nation’s Restaurant last night at Hopyard Road near I-580.

In the 11 p.m. Saturday night robbery, the pair entered the empty restaurant at 5321 Hopyard, behind Burger King, and demanded money from the lone clerk at the cash register. The man indicated he had a handgun, although none was seen. The clerk handed the suspect an undisclosed amount of money and both suspects fled out the front door.

Police Sergeant Kurt Schlehuber, who responded to the clerk’s call for help along with other officers, said one suspect was described as a white male with brown hair and green eyes, weighing about 140 pounds and 5 feet 4-6-inches tall with the female suspect also white with green eyes about the same weight and weighing an estimated 11 pounds.

Both suspects were wearing dark colored “hoodie” sweatshirts pulled over their heads and dark pants.

Schlehuber said a witness observed a grey 1990s style minivan speed out of the area from behind Nation’s at the same time as the robbery. The vehicle was seen driving through the Pleasanton Inn parking lot but police were unable to find the vehicle still there when they arrived.

On Thursday night, a 23-year-old man claimed he was robbed at gunpoint and then shot at about 10 p.m. in the Rose Pavilion parking lot in front of the CVS Pharmacy.

The victim, whose identity has not been given, drove in a Honda to the parking lot planning to sell iPods to a man police later identified as Antonio Faraz Rad of San Ramon.

Pleasanton police Lt. Tom Fenner said Rad had arranged to meet the victim outside the CVS Pharmacy.

When Rad and another suspect arrived at about 10 p.m., they allegedly parked their gray SUV in the center of the empty parking lot.

The victim approached the SUV. When the victim took out one of the iPods, the suspect ordered the victim to give him everything and took out a firearm.

The victim dropped the iPod and put his hands over his head. The suspect then fired a single shot at the victim that sent him running for cover. As the victim ran toward the Honda, the suspect fired a second shot at the man, Fenner said, but missed him both times. The victim escaped uninjured.

Store employees heard gunshots and called the police. Witnesses told police they spotted several men running toward the Honda sedan.

The Honda and SUV drove out of the parking lot, and officers said they were unable to immediately locate either vehicle.

Police tracked down the victim of the robbery and questioned him about the incident, police said.

Their investigation led them to Rad’s residence in San Ramon. They obtain search and arrest warrants and in the company of San Ramon police made the arrest.

Rad was booked at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin for robbery and attempted murder and also faces felony enhancement charges because of pending felony cases he has in Alameda County.

The enhancement was added because Rad allegedly committed felonies while out on bail. Rad had posted bail for previous arrests for felony vandalism, felony evading, and child endangerment, Fenner said. Police are searching for Rad’s getaway vehicle and the other suspect who was in the SUV.

“Certainly this is a very unusual event for the city of Pleasanton and we have numerous investigators working on the case,” Fenner said.

Anyone with information on either crime is encouraged to contact Pleasanton police at (925) 931-5100.