Deputies were searching for alleged robbery suspects in the Newhall area on Monday.
The call came in at approximately 3:30 p.m. that three suspects had reportedly robbed a man on the street and taken cash from his pockets.
Robert Hernandez said he was on 15th street and Newhall “minding (his) own” business when he says the suspects got out of their car with the people and approached him, making him feel uncomfortable.
Soon after, they started circling him asking how much money he had on his person, Hernandez said.
“‘This is the ’hood,’” Hernandez remembered one of the suspects saying to him, “‘we’re going to tax you.’”
Hernandez said they told him they “had a strap,” or gun, and he said he made the decision to hand over $120 to them before two of them walked away. The third did not leave immediately, but after a short exchange with Hernandez left soon after.
Deputies not disclosed if the suspects had yet been taken into custody as of the publication of this article.
