There have been a series of armed robberies across Contra Costa County over the past couple of weeks, and investigators think they may be related. The robberies have been reported in Antioch, Pittsburg, and Orinda. Now police officers from the affected areas are working together to track down the possible suspects.

According to Orinda police Chief Mark Nagel, there is a similarity between the robberies that “certainly has not gone unnoticed.” Officials are now looking at a series of at least six robberies that occurred over the course of four days. Each incident involved two armed gunmen who approached victims as they drove into their driveways.

In one case in Antioch, a woman and another female resident had pulled into their driveway at about 9:30 p.m. After getting out of the car, two armed men demanded her purse. She handed her belongings to the men who fled in a white sedan. The men were wearing sweatshirts with the hoods pulled tight over their faces. However, according to police, the incident was caught on video.

About an hour later, a similar incident occurred in Antioch. A husband and wife had pulled into their driveway when they were approached by two men in hooded sweatshirts. The couple gave the armed men their money, and the men fled.

That same night, another hour later, a man in Danville was carjacked and robbed while in his garage. One of the hooded men left in the white sedan while another stole the victim's Honda Pilot. The stolen car was later recovered abandoned in Oakland.

The next day, two armed men in hooded sweatshirts robbed a Brentwood teenager of her purse after she pulled into her driveway.

While most of these suspects were never harmed, a similar robbery in a driveway in Orinda ended with a victim being shot and her husband pistol-whipped. Orinda Union school board Vice President Carol Brown and her husband were attacked when they pulled up to their home after a shopping trip. The suspects fled on foot but were not found.

Armed robbery is a serious charge in California. Robbery is a felony under California Penal Code 211 and can lead to up to 9 years in prison. However, not everyone charged with robbery is guilty of the crime. There are many innocent victims of false identification, often finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Prosecutors can make the suspects feel like they have no alternative but to plead guilty, unless they have an attorney who will fight for them.

If you charged with felony robbery charges, you don't want to end up with a criminal record. At the Gorelick Law Offices, attorney Lynn Gorelick has dedicated her legal career to defending individuals charged with criminal offenses across the East Bay. With more than 30 years of experience, Lynn Gorelick understands how a theft conviction can affect your future. If you are facing a conviction, contact the local East Bay DUI defense attorney who understands that you do not have to plead guilty just because you were arrested.