Update on the Two Man Wrecking Crew that Caused Mayhem Across Metro and Led to OIS

Albuquerque –

Overnight, detectives from the Albuquerque Police Department charged two men for armed robberies on Sunday afternoon that led to an officer-involved shooting later that evening.

Roberto Perez, 32, and Joshua Garcia, 35, are both charged with two counts of armed robbery, two counts of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, receiving and transferring a stolen motor vehicle, and eluding and evading a peace officer.

Circle K (4701 Paseo Del Norte NE)

On December 22, 2024, around 12:56 PM, Robbery detectives were first alerted that cash has been taken from the Circe K located at 4701 Paseo Del Norte NE. According to the criminal complaint, the tracker indicated westward movement at approximately 94 MPH. Shortly after, around 1:00 PM, a witness outside the Circle K reported that an employee mentioned the store being robbed, including the theft of a cell phone.

Detectives spoke with the store’s sole employee at the time, who described the robbery. A witness outside the store reported seeing a blue sedan, possibly from the 2000s, fleeing the area with two occupants. Security footage showed two suspects entering the store: one wore a gray t-shirt over a black long-sleeve shirt, dark pants, black shoes, a dark beanie, and a camouflage neck gaiter, while the other wore a black hoodie, black beanie, tan pants, light shoes, and sunglasses.

The first suspect brandished a firearm and demanded cash from the register, though communication was hindered by a language barrier. The suspect took approximately $150 from the register, while the second suspect jumped the counter and stole several cartons of cigarettes. An iPhone 13 was also taken, but it could not be tracked. The suspects fled in a blue Hyundai sedan with stickers on the rear window. Detectives later located the cash tracker discarded on Paseo Del Norte over the river.

Verizon Store (1800 Unser Blvd NW)

At approximately 1:34 PM, officers from the Northwest Area Command responded to an armed robbery at a Verizon store on Unser Blvd NW. Dispatch information indicated that two males brandished a firearm, stole money from the cash register, and fled in a blue Hyundai. The suspects’ descriptions matched those from an earlier Circle K robbery.

At the scene, employees reported that the suspects entered the store, ordered them not to look at them, and threatened them with a firearm described as black with a silver slide. One suspect wore a gray shirt over a black long-sleeve shirt, a beanie, and a camouflage neck gaiter. The other wore a black hoodie, tan pants, and sunglasses, matching descriptions from the earlier robbery. Approximately $200 in cash was stolen along with the cash register, and the suspects fled southbound on Unser Blvd in the blue Hyundai.

Surveillance photos and video of the suspects were provided to law enforcement. The vehicle was briefly spotted by officers in the Southwest Area Command near Atrisco Dr SW and Central Ave but was lost due to traffic.

Northeast Heights

At approximately 4:30 PM, APD’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) located the blue Hyundai in the area of Pennsylvania St. NE and Comanche Rd. NE. Undercover detectives were notified and they tracked the vehicle westbound on Comanche Rd. NE and observed it parking near the AutoZone at 2801 Carlisle Blvd. NE. The two male occupants, matching the descriptions from the earlier robberies, entered the store. According to the criminal complaint, undercover and robbery detectives planned to apprehend the suspects as they exited the store.

Both suspects were observed running out of the Autozone, ignoring commands to stop. One suspect, later identified as Joshua Garcia, wearing a gray shirt and camouflage neck gaiter, was apprehended without injury.

The other, Roberto Garcia, wearing a black hoodie and tan pants, continued to evade police. Perez continued to run southbound through the parking lot, and around the McDonald’s in the southeast corner of the property.

Perez had a handgun in his hand as he ran from detectives. Two detectives shouted several times for Perez to drop the gun. Shots were fired and Perez was struck in the torso. Perez was transported to a hospital to be treated for his wounds. He is expected to recover.

Garcia was booked into the Metro Detention Center at 12:24 AM on December, 23. Perez will be booked when he is released from the hospital.

Criminal History on Both Suspects

Joshua Garcia has numerous previous charges. Garcia has been booked into MDC 36 times since 2007. Many of the charges for Garcia include battery, battery on a household member, Criminal Trespass, Attempt to Commit a Felony, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Unlawful Taking of a Motor Vehicle, Criminal Damage to Property, burglary, larceny, failure to appear, and more.

Roberto Perez has been previously charged with being an out of state fugitive, Burglary of a Vehicle
Resisting, Evading or Obstructing an Officer, Unlawful Taking of a Motor Vehicle, Tampering with Evidence, Receiving Stolen Property, Receiving or Transferring Stolen Motor Vehicles, Robbery
Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Driving While License Suspended, Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Taking of a Motor Vehicle, and more. Perez has 9 bookings at MDC going back to 2014.

You can read our initial coverage on this incident here: