What began as a "beer run" in Avondale Sunday morning left a Circle K store clerk in the hospital and three people facing armed robbery and aggravated assault charges.
Carlos Bernal Jr., 43, and Linda Bernal, 38, both of Avondale, and Nazario Castillo, 25, of Tolleson, were booked into Fourth Avenue Jail on armed robbery and aggravated assault charges, Avondale police spokesman Reuben Gonzales said.
Police responded to the convenience store on Buckeye Road between Avondale Boulevard and 107th Avenue at about 1:45 a.m. when a witness reported two men were trying to steal several packs of beer, Gonzales said.
The store clerk told police that a woman, later identified as Linda Bernal, came into the store and started talking to the clerk, asking him to give her a pack of cigarettes for free, according to booking documents. The clerk refused and as the two were talking, he saw two men come into the store, take "seven or eight cases of Budweiser" valued at about $230 and run out of the store.
When the clerk went outside to get the license plate number, the men began assaulting him, documents state. He fell to the ground and the pair continued to punch and kick him. One brandished a folding knife at the clerk and a witness but did not use it.
The store's video surveillance showed that while the clerk was in the parking lot, the woman went behind the counter and took four packs of Newport cigarettes and a can of carbonated beer, valued at about $30, records show.
The woman came out of the store, called to the two men beating the clerk and the three left in a dark grey 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe, police said.
The clerk suffered "significant" cuts and bruises on his face, hands and arms, according to documents. He was taken to Banner Estrella Medical Center in Phoenix where he was treated and released.
A detective reviewing video footage recognized Linda Bernal from his time as a patrol officer, and identified Carlos Bernal and Castillo after going through her known associates, Gonzales said. Carlos and Linda are siblings, and Castillo and Linda Bernal are a couple.
The witness and store clerk positively identified Carlos Bernal and Castillo as the pair from the robbery in a photo lineup.
Officers conducted surveillance on the house where the siblings live, which is less than half a mile from the Circle K. Linda Bernal and Castillo left the home Tuesday afternoon and police followed them to a Phoenix business near McDowell Road and Loop 101, where they arrested the pair at about 1:30 p.m., Gonzales said.
Police obtained a search warrant for the siblings' home, and with the help of the Department of Public Safety's gang task force, officers arrested Carlos Bernal about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, he said.
Gonzales said it was "great police work" on the part of all the officers involved.
"What started off as a beer run turned into an armed robbery and now all three, because of their involvement, are facing armed robbery charges, as well as the two suspects for aggravated assault," he said.
http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/2010/09/29/20100929avondale-circle-k-robbery-clerk-injured.html
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