Santa Cruz Police Arrest Man Allegedly Connected to String of Burglaries and Robberies

A 27-year-old man who was arrested Monday afternoon on suspicion of armed robbery has been linked to a series of burglaries and a carjacking, Santa Cruz Police said Tuesday.

Richard Sasse was stopped after a victim reported that he was robbed at 1:10 p.m. at Seabright Ave. and Murray St. by a man who demanded his totebag, which contained his wallet.

Sasse reportedly showed a handgun in his waistband when the victim at first refused to cooperate. After putting out an alert for the car Sasse was seen fleeing in, police got a call that someone was ditching items from a car at Second and Cliff street. Seaside Security, which patrols the Boardwalk, also spotted the car, a Volvo sedan.

Police followed the trail to a motel at Second St. When they knocked on the door of a room, they said Sasse jumped out through the back window. Lt. Mark Sanders and Officer Joe Hernadez chased him down across yards on Wave Ave. He had a backpack, which had the items stolen at Seabright, police said.

They also found a loaded handgun.

In the motel room, officers found Christina Ruiz, 29, who is  on parole for burglary.  

Sasse was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail for armed robbery and Ruiz was booked for a parole violation.  The victims were not physically injured during the incident.  

After overnight questioning police linked Sasse to other crimes, they said, including: 

• An attempted commercial burglary on Beach Street on 11/20.
• Three recent downtown burglaries at bars on 11/21.
• An attempted carjacking on 11/26 on Second St.
• A residential burglary on 11/26 on Brookside Avenue.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Santa Cruz Police Department Investigations at (831) 420-5820 or leave an anonymous tip at www.santacruzpolice.com or via the department’s mobile app.