Long trail leads Merced County detectives to suspect in Dos Palos-area armed robberies
A 22-year old man from the Central Coast was arrested in connection with two armed robberies of gas stations in the Dos Palos area that took place minutes apart last month, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team, Investigations Bureau, Sheriff’s Response Team and Special Enforcement Team served a search warrant Thursday at 7 a.m. in the 3100 block of Panoche Road in Pacines, San Benito County. Omar Contereras Solis was arrested in connection with the two robberies.
The robberies happened June 28. first at 1:21 a.m. at the Circle K at Highway 33 and Blossom Street in Dos Palos. Twenty-four minutes later, the second armed robbery occurred at the Chevron at the Nees Avenue interchange on Interstate 5 – about 17 miles southwest of Dos Palos and in the direction of Pacines.
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office and the Dos Palos Police Department worked together on the investigation and determined that the robberies were committed by the same suspect.
The firearm believed to be used during the robberies was located during the search in Pacines, according to authorities. Solis was wearing a face mask when he was arrested that authorities believe is the same one used during the robberies.
Solis was booked into the Merced County Jail with a bail set at $300,000, according to jail records.
This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 11:25 AM.
