Four suspects charged in connection to Glendale street robberies
Three suspected robbers and their getaway driver were charged in connection with back-to-back street robberies in which two pedestrians were attacked — one at knifepoint — in Glendale last October, police said.
Three men — Yldefonso Rodriguez, 42, Mario Labelle, 32, and Carlos Rodriguez, 22, as well as a woman suspected of driving the getaway car, Rachel Montelongo, 21 — were charged with one count each of second-degree robbery and second-degree attempted robbery, according to Glendale police and the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
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Yldefonso Rodriguez and Carlos Rodriguez both pleaded not guilty, while Labelle and Montelongo were slated to be arraigned Friday.
The investigation began just after 9 p.m. on Oct. 21, when three men — one of whom was armed with a knife — approached and attacked a man in his 50s walking near the intersection of San Fernando Road and California Avenue, said Glendale Police Sgt. Robert William.
After the assault, the trio reportedly took off with the victim’s bag, which contained electronics and other personal items.
About 10 minutes later, the group pulled up next to a woman standing with a man in the 6800 block of San Fernando Road. Police believe Montelongo was behind the wheel.
When three men hopped out of the car, the pair tried to run, but the suspected robbers caught and assaulted the woman, knocking one of her teeth out, William said.
She held on to her purse, however, and the group eventually fled empty-handed.
Using surveillance cameras from businesses in the area, Glendale detectives identified a suspect vehicle and license plate number. In December, they arrested the registered owner, Los Angeles resident Yldefonso Rodriguez.
A month later, investigators tracked down and arrested one of his suspected accomplices, Carlos Rodriguez, at his Los Angeles home.
At that point, the last two suspects remained unidentified.
Through the course of the investigation, Glendale police realized the pair they’d arrested spent much of their time in Whittier, and asked local police there to check out the surveillance video.
Whittier police reportedly recognized the outstanding suspects as Labelle and Montelongo, who were both already in custody for an unrelated grand theft in Alhambra, William said.
All four suspects reportedly confessed to the two Glendale robberies, but investigators believe there could be more incidents.
Anyone with information about the suspects is asked to call Glendale police at (818) 548-4911.
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Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com
Twitter: @atchek
