North Precinct officers arrested 32-year-old Benito Zurita on Friday, December 28, 2018, after community members contacted 9-1-1 to report a robbery at a Northeast Portland market, the theft of a purse from Northeast Portland apartment, and a suspicious person in a Northeast Portland neighborhood.
The investigation into Zurita started on Friday, December 28, 2018, at 7:19 p.m., when the owner of Knott Street Grocery, located at 2709 Northeast 7th Avenue, called 9-1-1 to report a man entered the store, stole several items from the store and reportedly shoved the store owner to the ground while fleeing the scene. The victim suffered minor injuries as a result of being pushed to the ground by the suspect. The victim did not require transport by ambulance for treatment of his injuries.
An officer responded to the Knott Street Grocery and contacted the store owner as additional officers searched the area for the suspect. The officer that responded to the store obtained a description of the suspect and broadcast the description to officers searching the neighborhood.
As officers continued to investigate the robbery of the Knott Street Grocery, a caller contacted 9-1-1 at 7:36 p.m. and told an emergency call-taker that a man had reached through an open window of a first floor apartment in the 600 block of Northeast Fargo Street. The suspect reportedly pulled the purse through the open window and fled the scene. The victim chased after the suspect, but stopped giving chase when the suspect reportedly told the victim he possessed a firearm. The victim provided the call-taker a description of the suspect. Based on the information learned in this investigation, officers believed this suspect was likely the same suspect that had robbed the Knott Street Grocery.
At 8:06 p.m., on Friday, a community member contacted 9-1-1 and reported observing a man in the 3300 block of Northeast 22nd Avenue. The description provided by the 9-1-1 caller matched the suspect's description from the robbery at the Knott Street Grocery and purse snatching in the 600 block of Northeast Fargo Street. The caller to 9-1-1 reported the suspect walked onto the properties of multiple residences.
Officers responded to the area and located a man matching the suspect's description in all three incidents. An officer located the suspect in the 2600 block of Northeast Ridgewood Drive. The suspect ran from officers as they attempted to contact him. Officers took the suspect into custody in the 3400 block of Northeast 27th Avenue without further incident.
Based on information learned during the preceding investigations and evidence found upon taking the suspect into custody, officers believed he was involved in the robbery of the Knott Street Grocery, theft of the purse, and had taken mail from locations in the area. Officers searched the area, but a firearm was not located. The suspect was identified as Zurita.
Zurita was lodged at the Multnomah County Jail on charges of Robbery in the Second Degree (two counts), Burglary in the First Degree, Possession of Methamphetamine, a Parole Violation for a previous conviction of Possession of Methamphetamine, and warrants for pervious arrests related to charges of Harassment and Assault in the Fourth Degree.
Members with the Portland Police Bureau Detective Division's Robbery Detail responded to assume this investigation.
Anyone with information about Zurita or the Friday, December 28, 2018, investigations should contact Detective Kenneth Reynolds at 503-823-0407, Kenneth.Reynolds@portlandoregon.gov or Detective John Russell at 503-823-0464, John.Russell@portlandoregon.gov
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