Two South American nationals were arrested by police in California on Tuesday, allegedly for stealing a watch worth about $1 million. The authorities discovered a gun that had once belonged to Christopher Dorner, a cop killer.
The two men, according to the law enforcement officials, are part of an even larger criminal organization.
The investigation into an armed robbery in Beverly Hills of a $1,000,000 watch took a bizarre turn when authorities found a gun that had once belonged to Christopher Dorner, the cop killer.
Dorner, a former LAPD police officer, was on a murderous vendetta in 2013 against law enforcement before he was killed in a fire-filled standoff in the San Bernardino Mountains.
The authorities charged Tuesday two South American citizens with being allegedly part of a criminal tourism group that stole a $1,000,000 Patek Philippe from a man who was dining with his family at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in August.
The Airbnb, where the suspects had been believed to be staying, was searched by law enforcement on August 10. They found a handgun registered to Dorner, among other things.
According to the criminal complaint, one of the suspects had Dorner’s pistol in his hand when he was spotted outside the Airbnb.
According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office press release, the authorities claim that one of the suspects used the gun to commit the robbery.
According to the complaint, the victim, his wife, and two daughters were sitting on the patio at a Beverly Wilshire Hotel restaurant on 7 August when Suspect 1 approached them and pointed a semi-automatic black handgun toward the victim. According to reports, Suspect 1 pulled the slide back on the handgun and chambered a round. Suspect 2 is alleged to have approached the victim while Suspect 1 was holding her at gunpoint and removed the silver Patek Philippe worth an estimated $1 million from the victim’s arm. Both suspects fled the scene, and Sepulveda is alleged to have been the getaway driver.
On August 10, the law enforcement officers executed a warrant to search an Airbnb, where the South American theft gang was allegedly staying. The group was seen leaving by security cameras the previous night. Officers found a handgun registered to Christopher Dorner in the bedroom. Dorner was a former LAPD police officer who committed several murders and died in a 2013 standoff. Later on that day, police conducted a traffic check of a Chevrolet Equinox. They reportedly found Sepulveda inside and Padron outside. The Equinox is allegedly connected to another armed robbery that took place in Beverly Hills, California on August 5th. A $30,000 Rolex watch was stolen.
ABC 7 reports that ABC 7 has charged one suspect with robbery, interference with commerce, and possession of a firearm to commit a violent crime. One suspect is charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery. Authorities have yet to discover how Dorner’s gun was obtained.
MacCabe, the Assistant U.S. attorney told reporters they were “very surprised” to discover that this gun was in their possession. They are still investigating.
Christopher Dorner terrorized Los Angeles in 2013 with a series of brutal murders. This sparked the largest manhunt ever in Southern California. The killer wanted revenge after losing his job for speaking out against alleged corruption in the LAPD.
Dorner killed four people in the San Bernardino Mountains before committing suicide during a standoff. In Irvine, he first killed Keith Lawrence and Monica Quan. Dorner outlined his actions in an online manifesto.
Residents and police were on edge as a result of the killer’s actions. Dorner’s training as a military officer helped him to evade law enforcement and commit murder. The standoff took place in a mountain cabin. After a long shootout with the officers pursuing him, he committed suicide as his cabin started to burn.
