Robert Salonga and Katie Nelson
San Jose Mercury News
SAN JOSE — An armed-robbery suspect whose image was distributed on social media Thursday was quickly recognized by a probation officer and a probation supervisor.
San Jose resident Gabriel Medrano, 18, was seen in surveillance footage from a robbery that happened Aug. 14 at the Quik & Save Market at 5245 Roeder Road, located off Monterey Highway, according to San Jose police. The robber entered the store armed with a gun, demanded cash and threatened the victim, police said.
He then ran away with an undisclosed amount of cash.
When police released pictures of Medrano online Thursday, the department soon got two phone calls: one from a Santa Clara County juvenile probation officer and one from a probation supervisor, both of whom recognized the suspect, according to police.
As soon as they got the tip, investigators began looking for Medrano. He was arrested Friday afternoon at a drug treatment program in San Jose, police said. He will be booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of robbery.