2 Merced men arrested in robbery, kidnapping case

Two suspected gang members have been arrested in connection with the recent robbery and kidnapping of a Merced man, the Police Department reported Monday.

Miguel Guizar, 32, and Gilberto Lopez-Arroyo, 24, both of Merced, are suspected of forcing a man inside a home at gunpoint Nov. 26 and robbing him of his vehicle and other belongings, Sgt. Rodney Court said in a news release.

Court said detectives had not ruled out the possibility of arresting additional suspects.

The victim, a man whose name was not released, was held against his will by armed men at a home in the 300 block of S Street. He did not suffer any significant injuries, police said.

Agents from the Merced Area Gang/Narcotic Enforcement Team located the stolen vehicle about two weeks later at a home in Empire in Stanislaus County. Merced police Detective Rey Alvarez, the lead investigator, worked with deputies from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office and identified Guizar and Lopez-Arroyo as suspects.

Lopez-Arroyo was arrested Dec. 11 at a home in Merced.

Investigators on Dec. 14 spotted Guizar driving a silver Honda Accord in southeast Merced and attempted to stop the car, but the driver fled.

“During the pursuit, Guizar threw a loaded .45-caliber pistol out of the vehicle near Golden Valley High School,” police said in the statement.

The car chase ended when the Honda got stuck in a field on Barney Street. The driver ran across Santa Fe Drive and was captured a short time later, officers said.

“It is unknown at this time if the gun recovered was used in the crime,” police said.

Both men remained in custody without bail Monday at the Merced County Jail.

This story was originally published December 21, 2015 at 1:20 PM with the headline "2 Merced men arrested in robbery, kidnapping case."