On Monday, July 16, 2018, at 6:44 p.m., East Precinct officers responded to the report of a strong-arm robbery with multiple suspects at the Safeway, located at 3527 Southeast 122nd Avenue.

Officers arrived at the Safeway and learned a group of seven suspects left the store without paying for items they had selected from the store. As the suspects were leaving the store, a security guard employed by Safeway was struck by one of the suspects as he attempted to contact one of them as they exited the store. The security did not require immediate medical care.

Responding officers contacted several witnesses who told police the suspects left in a white Volkswagen sport utility vehicle. Additional officers, including a police canine team and the Portland Police Bureau's Air Support Unit, responded to the surrounding neighborhood as well. An officer located the suspected getaway vehicle, a white Volkswagen Atlas, near Southeast 148th Avenue and Southeast Center Street, but the occupants were seen running from it.

Meanwhile, another responding officer located a blue Hyundai Elantra and a silver Nissan Maxima, near Southeast 148th Avenue and Southeast Bush Street.

Both vehicles appeared to have been abandoned and the officer observed people running from them.

As officers continued the investigation, they learned all three vehicles were previously reported as stolen. Based on information gathered during the preliminary investigation, officers believe the suspects involved in the Safeway strong-armed robbery were also associated with the stolen Elantra and Maxima.

During the neighborhood search, seven juvenile suspects were detained. Five of the suspects were released to guardians and two were lodged at the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Home on charges of Robbery in the Second Degree and Assault in the Third Degree. The two suspects lodged at the Donald E. Long on Measure 11 Robbery charges were 17-year-old Jayvontea Binnz and 17-year-old Jaymari Williams.

The stolen vehicles have been recovered and the vehicle owners notified.

Additional charges are possible as this investigation is in its early stages and on-going.

Anyone with information about this case should contact the Portland Police Bureau Detective Division's Robbery Detail at 503-823-0405.

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