Crime & Safety
East Palo Alto Trio Arrested for Stick-Up at 7-Eleven on Colorado
The convenience store clerk was robbed, punched and held at gunpoint in mid-October.
The Palo Alto Police Department arrested three East Palo Alto men on suspicion of felony robbery for last month's stick-up of 7-Eleven on Colorado Avenue.
Palo Alto detectives were tipped off to the suspects by the Redwood City Police Department, who had the three in custody on burglary charges. In addition, the trio is possibly linked to an October hold-up in Burlingame.
The arrested suspects, all East Palo Alto residents, are: Joachim Piliote Maka, 23; Apolosio Piutou Tupa, 27; and Joshua N. Faoa, 24.
The Palo Alto 7-Eleven, at 708 Colorado Ave., was held up at 2:20 a.m. Oct. 14. by three masked suspects. While two stole items from the convenience store, the third man pointed a rifle or shotgun at the clerk and demanded money from the register, police said.
After the clerk complied, he was punched in the face and had his wallet stolen by the gunman, police said. The trio then fled on foot.
Detectives said they believe the armed suspect was Maka, who is on probation in San Mateo County from a prior conviction of carrying a loaded firearm in public.
Tupa is on probation in San Mateo County from a prior conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm, police said.
Palo Alto detectives distributed a "wanted" bulletin to Bay Area agencies after the incident, and about 10 days later were contacted by Redwood City law enforcement.
Redwood City police responded to a burglary in-progress Oct. 25 at 1:30 a.m. at Peninsula Liquors at 717 El Camino Real and arrested the three men -- noting they matched the description of the Palo Alto 7-Eleven suspects.
Palo Alto detectives followed up on the possible robbers, presenting the case to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, and one count of felony robbery against each man was filed Nov. 6.
Arrest warrants were served on Maka and Tupa that same day while they were still in custody at the San Mateo County Main Jail for the burglary case. Faoa, however, had been released.
On the following day, detectives served search warrants to locate Faoa at two residences in East Palo Alto, one in the 700 block of Donohoe Street and the other in the 2200 block of Capitol Avenue, according to police.
Faoa self-surrendered Nov. 7 to Palo Alto police and was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail, officials said.
During the warrant searches, police said they uncovered evidence that may link the three to an Oct. 17 armed robbery of a 7-Eleven at 975 Rollins Road in Burlingame.
An investigation by the Burlingame Police Department is now underway.
