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Published on 07/24/1995 All articles from this issue

Chance encounter foils plan to rob Los Altos Safeway

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By Jennifer Bixler / Town Crier Staff Writer

A conspiracy to rob the Los Altos Safeway on First Street was foiled when the suspects' car was stopped by a police officer for expired registration.

Los Altos Police Sgt. Tom Connelly stopped three suspects July 16, three hours before the robbery was to take place.

"We stumbled across it by an alert cop, Connelly," said Sgt. Bob Lacey, of the Los Altos Police Department.

At 8:40 p.m. Connelly pulled over a car that had been speeding, trying to evade the police. The car had an expired registration tag, Lacey said.

When the officer approached the car, he found bullets, a gun, masks, gloves and a note detailing a plan to rob Safeway at midnight. The plan was "really sophisticated," Lacey said.

Safeway employee Chekesha Martin, 22, of Mountain View, was allegedly behind the preparations for the robbery. "Martin told them (the two men) exactly what time they would be counting the money; that she would be with another employee; to beat her up a little; to disconnect the phones; and lay on the other employee to delay reaction time," Lacey said.

The two men, Michael McGee, 22, and Joey Harris, 29, both of San Jose, were arrested July 16 on conspiracy to commit robbery and a weapons charge. Harris was charged with an additional parole violation. Martin was arrested early July 21.

"We didn't immediately connect Martin with the conspiracy," Lacey said. She was arrested on conspiracy and weapons charges.

"The robbery would have occurred if Connelly hadn't stopped them," Lacey said. "We prevented a sure thing that would have happened."