An Oakland man was convicted for an armed robbery committed against a Piedmont resident. Christopher Ware was found guilty of second degree robbery with personal use of a firearm in a jury trial on February 18. Ware was also found guilty of another robbery in an unincorporated part of Alameda County, identity theft, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and several other firearms and ammunition offenses, according to a press release issued by the Piedmont Police Department.
“This one here for us in Piedmont, it’s a big deal as far as closure for the victim and reassurance that this guy wont be re-offending any time soon,” said Piedmont Police Detective Jeff Spranza.
The press release read, “This is another example of the successful collaboration between local law enforcement and the District Attorney’s office combined with the use of technology to apprehend the suspect in these crimes.”
The incident involving the Piedmont resident happened on July 10, 2020. Ware followed a 76-year old woman driving home from an In-N-Out Burger in East Oakland. When the victim parked in front of her house, Ware forced her driver’s side door open and robbed her at gun point, according to the release. The defendant then fled in a white Lexus RX300.
The victim was able to give a limited description of the suspect and the car as well as the firearm he pointed at her. Piedmont’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system recorded the suspect following the victim into Piedmont. The information from the ALPR was shared with other agencies.
On July 31, Oakland police saw the suspect in a white Lexus RX300 on Douglas Avenue. Officers detained Ware and found an unregistered and loaded Smith & Wesson 45 caliber handgun next to the driver’s seat. According to the release, the handgun had multiple distinctive markings on it that had been described by the victim of the July 10 incident.
The second robbery took place July 25 near San Lorenzo and was investigated by Alameda County sheriffs officers.
Sentencing is scheduled for the last week of March.