(KRON) — A Fairfield man was arrested on Friday in connection with two robberies in Walnut Creek, the Walnut Creek Police Department said.
Malcolm Hale is being held at the Martinez Detention Facility on a $600,000 bail on charges including two counts of robbery, two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, and illegal possession of an assault weapon.
The first robbery that Hale is believed to be responsible for happened on Nov. 3 in the parking lot of a Burger King located at 1799 North Broadway. A witness told KRON4 the elderly victim was knocked down and robbed when walking back to his Porsche.
The second robbery happened at Autopia Carwash at 2172 North Main St. on Nov. 8, police said.
WCPD detectives and members of the Central County SWAT Team executed a search warrant in Fairfield. Detectives arrested Hale and recovered an AR-15-style assault rifle, police said.
The robberies allegedly committed by Hale are part of a trend that is upsetting Walnut Creek residents. Another robbery happened Nov. 3, involving two suspects targeting an elderly man dining at the Newell Promenade.
“I’m not feeling safe to be honest because right now it’s scary. You can see that I’m scared. I feel like it’s not safe anymore,” said an employee of a Newell Promenade business.
WCPD said its investigations team is pursuing leads related to other downtown robberies. Anyone with information is asked to call (925) 943-5844.
