By Kathryn Santos-Reed
Reprinted from the Rio Linda News
Crime is definitely on the rise in Rio Linda. Local businesses are reporting a number of armed robberies occurring across – town. Subway was the subject of an armed robbery on September 3, 2011. The victim said the robber was African American. The Sheriffs Department indicated an arrest was imminent.
Since September 3, 2011, the recycler in the parking lot of the former Mar-Val Shopping Center was held up at gun point, but there is no further information on this theft.
On Saturday, September 24,2011, Elverta Market was robbed at gun point around 9:00 p.m. The subjects entered the store and walked to the soft drink cooler, picked up a drink and chips, then proceeded to the register to pay for the purchase. A bill was tendered and, as the clerk turned to make change, the assailant pulled a gun and demanded money. There were Two assailants in the store. One was Caucasian and the other Asian. The store has a video surveillance system and the robbers were recorded on film
The assault and beating of an autistic, mentally challenged teen is still being worked. After 10 days, the Sheriffs investigator contacted the parents of the child and told them they were still interviewing witnesses. In just the last week, a deputy sheriff cited the assailant and issued a citation citing Penal Code 415(1)- Fighting in Public. The penalty for a 415(1)is imprisonment in the county jail for a period of not more than 90 days, a fine of not more than $400 dollars or both imprisonment and a fine. The assailant is a minor and remains unidentified.
The penalty for a 415(1) hardly seems sufficient for luring an autistic, mentally challenged child away from a safe location and taking him to a field along side Dry Creek and beating him black and blue over his entire torso.
There were other witnesses attending the assault and at least one individual used a cell phone to record the beating. By the time deputies contacted those present at the assault, all cell phone recordings had been erased. It was unlikely any of those viewing the assault will be charged with a crime.
