Authorities state that on Jan. 26 three men robbed Abbarotes La Orizabena, a small Mexican grocery store in Monroe, WI while holding the cashier and one customer at gunpoint. The men took the cashier’s purse as well as the money from the drawer. After the robbery, the suspects fled to a dark gray Honda Accord which was driven away by another suspect.
In another robbery that is believed to be related to the first, three men wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts robbed Alexandra’s Mexican grocery store in Platteville, WI. The three suspects displayed a gun to the cashier during the robbery and one of the victims was pushed by a suspect in a red hoodie. The suspects left the store after the robbery and were seen getting into a white Honda Pilot.
According to investigators, it is believed that the three suspects are Hispanic, although authorities do not know if the suspects are the same three people or if they are believed to be working with a larger crime ring. Local authorities as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating whether these crimes are connected to any other robberies in the area.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr with the FBI-Milwaukee Office stated that they believed the two robberies were connected through fraudulent return where the suspects cash out checks at smaller grocery stores and then return to the store a few days later and rob them.
The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of multiple suspects in connection with multiple store robberies in Platteville, WI and Monroe, WI.
Anyone with information about these crimes or witnesses who might have seen or heard anything suspicious is asked to contact the FBI Milwaukee Office at (414) 276-4684 or online at tips.fbi.gov.
