Robbery suspects sitting under tree

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Phil Stake
Staff writer

VANDERWAGEN — Police arrested two juveniles Saturday who allegedly robbed a Mustang convenience store at gunpoint.

Adrian Miller, 17, and Coleen Lincoln, 16, are awaiting extradition after they were arrested inside Navajo jurisdiction about 6 p.m., according to McKinley County Sheriff’s investigators. Another male remains at large.

According to Deputy Christopher Escamilla’s report, two males and a female entered the store about 5 p.m. One male approached the cashier and demanded money, apparently unarmed. When the cashier refused, however, he confronted her with a gun.

The other male brandished a gun, too, and stood guard at the door, turning away customers. The female gathered items from the shelves, including cigarettes.

Store employees gave police a description of each assailant and said they fled west. Using a K-9, police tracked the three beginning with footprints. Then they began to see discarded beer cans and cigarette packs, according to the report. Eventually police came upon the trio sitting under a tree. One male fled and got away. The other two “were very intoxicated.”

Navajo Police took Miller and Lincoln into custody, and are currently working with county investigators.

People who were turned away from Mustang convenience, 1058 N.M. 602 in Vanderwagen, are encouraged to contact Investigator Merle Bates at (505) 863-1410

Reporter Phil Stake can be reachedat philip.stake@gmail.com,or by calling(505) 863-6811 x223.