Saipan Tribune

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

J's Restaurant robbery suspect falls

Police arrested Friday night in Dandan the masked man who allegedly robbed the poker game room of J's Restaurant in Gualo Rai last Oct. 4.

Maximo S.N. Muña, 21, was taken to Superior Court yesterday morning for a bail hearing on charges of robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, theft, and disturbing the peace. His bail was set at $50,000 cash.
Preliminary hearing will be on Oct. 24 at 9am.

Drug Enforcement Task Force detective Dennis M. Reyes stated in his report that Muña's male companion was the supposed driver of a getaway vehicle.

The companion, however, panicked, Reyes said, when people started screaming and running to the parking lot of J's Restaurant during the robbery.

The companion allegedly drove off from the parking lot without Muña and headed south on Middle Road, where a marked police vehicle later pulled him over.

Reyes said the male companion admitted in a later interview that he and Muña were involved in the J's Restaurant game room robbery.

The companion told police that prior to the robbery, Muña came to his house in Koblerville and they smoked “ice inside the companion's vehicle.

After Muña left the companion walked to the KB Poker and Laundry in Koblerville to play poker until 3am. As he was playing poker, Muña arrived and they proceeded to 888 Poker in Garapan, where Muña allegedly asked his companion if he wants to make money.

Muña allegedly instructed his companion to go to J's Restaurant and park the vehicle near DEQ building close to the main road.

Muña allegedly put on a mask, took a machete from inside his pants, and headed toward J's Restaurant. After a few minutes, the companion heard people screaming and running to the parking lot of J's Restaurant.

The companion panicked and left the parking lot of the DEQ and headed south on Middle Road, where a police vehicle pulled him over.

Police officer Jason Tarkong said a masked man wearing gray shorts and a green camouflage long-sleeved shirt went inside J's Restaurant at 5:35am on Oct. 4.

The suspect, who was armed with a machete, approached the cashier's counter then proceeded to the cashier's booth.

The robber then grabbed a plastic basket containing over $120 in coins and ran outside the building.

Tarkong said police officers responded and recovered a plastic container with about $90 in coins in the parking lot of the restaurant.