By Khalida Sarwari
Santa Cruz police have obtained an arrest warrant for a 24-year-old man suspected of committing three robberies in the city in the last two weeks, including an armed robbery at Sylvan Music on Tuesday.
Jorge Huante is considered armed and dangerous and is believed to be carrying a handgun, police said. He is wanted on armed robbery and grand theft charges, according to police. The warrant has a bail amount of $100,000.
Detectives identified him after following up numerous leads and by a cell phone that he dropped near Sylvan Music at 1521 Mission St. on Tuesday, when Huante allegedly stole a vintage electric guitar at gunpoint.
Huante is suspected of two other robberies in the past two weeks.
On Feb. 20, Huante allegedly stole a cash drawer from the register of a Valero gas station at 2202 Mission St., according to police. A surveillance camera shows Huante waiting in line and upon reaching the front of the line, tricking the clerk into opening the register, police said. Huante then reached over and yanked the cash drawer from the register and after a brief struggle with the clerk, managed to get away with the drawer, police said.
On Monday, Huante allegedly stole a bass guitar from the Offshore Music Store at 926 Soquel Ave., according to police. After lingering near the guitar, Huante snatched it, running out of the store and into a getaway car, police said. He allegedly shouted threats at the employees who pursued him. He was later traced to the car, which was registered to a person associated with Huante, police said.
Anyone with information about Huante’s whereabouts is asked to call 911. Tips can be left on the Police Department’s anonymous tip line at (831) 420-5995.