Two Petaluma men arrested in connection with spate of armed robberies

Police believe the men are behind recent stickups at Wells Fargo, 7-Eleven and a 76 gas station.|

Two Petaluma men that police believe are connected to a recent spate of armed robberies were arrested Thursday, according to the Petaluma Police Department.

Police identified James David Baetz, 19, as a suspect in robberies at a Petaluma Wells Fargo, 7-Eleven and a 76 gas station in Rohnert Park, police said in a news release.

Shortly after 12:45 p.m., detectives received a tip that Baetz was spotted at a Santa Rosa liquor mart, police said.

With help from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and the Santa Rosa Police Department, Baetz was taken into custody as he was leaving the convenience store at 419 Stony Point Road, police said.

Officer found Ricardo Daniel Ortiz-Martin, 18, in an associated vehicle with a gun, cash, narcotics and other evidence linking the pair to the robberies, police said.

Both men are suspected of committing an early morning Aug. 11 robbery at a Wells Fargo ATM in Petaluma, when they placed a gun to a victim’s head and demanded cash, according to police.

Police believe the duo is also linked to the Sept. 20 robbery of a 7-Eleven store at 5300 Old Redwood Highway as well as a Sept. 21 stickup at a 76 Gas Station at 5060 Redwood Drive in Rohnert Park.

The victims in those incidents were not harmed, police said.

Baetz and Ortiz-Martin were booked into Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime, violation of probation, possession of narcotics and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

Anyone with information about the suspects or crimes, is asked to contact Detective John Silva at 707-778-4372.

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