West Covina councilman robbed at gunpoint; three suspects arrested
Three suspects have been arrested in the armed robbery of West Covina City Councilman Andrew McIntyre after they were found in possession of the council member’s city badge.
McIntyre pulled up outside his Fircroft Street home shortly before midnight Friday when a man approached him holding a handgun. McIntyre handed over his wallet, which contained his city council member badge. The suspect took it and ran across the street to an awaiting getaway car. The vehicle, a white Acura Integra, sped away.
The next day, San Bernardino County sheriff’s detectives investigating two similar robberies in Upland and Rancho Cucamonga located and stopped the Acura in Rowland Heights.
Detectives searched the occupants’ possessions and found items belonging to the West Covina councilman. They also recovered a handgun from the Acura, police said.
Joseph Wattie, 32, of Whittier, and Amanda Joyce Castro, 22, of Pomona, were booked on suspicion of robbery. A third suspect, Rodney Diondre Morris, 21, of South L.A., was arrested Monday. Morris is on probation for robbery, said West Covina spokesman Rudy Lopez.
Lopez said the police department believes McIntyre was the victim of a “random act of robbery” and not targeted.
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