Update: McDonald's Robbery Suspects Arrested

UPDATE 3:52 p.m., July 26

Editor's note: the following comes from a press release from the Loudoun County Sherrif's Office. It has not been edited.

Three suspects were taken into custody early Tuesday morning after an apparent attempted robbery at the McDonald’s on South Sterling Boulevard in Sterling, Virginia.

Around 1:45 a.m. a Loudoun Sheriff’s Deputy came across a 1998 Ford truck in the area of Enterprise Street. The vehicle matched the description of a vehicle believed to be involved in a larceny of license plates that was reported by a resident around 1:30 a.m. in the area of East Beech Road and North Irving Road. As the deputy attempted to make contact with the vehicle’s occupants, the vehicle sped off and a brief pursuit ensued. The vehicle lost control and rolled completely over before striking a building in the area of Enterprise Street.

Five suspects fled from the vehicle and two were immediately apprehended. A third suspect was believed to have entered a residence in the 280 block of Sedgemore Square. Members of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (S.E.R.T) and the Hostage Negotiations Unit responded to the scene. A third suspect was located hiding in a shed in the backyard of a residence by members of the SERT team.

Around the same time period the agency was made aware of an apparent attempted robbery at the South Sterling Boulevard McDonald’s that occurred prior to the vehicle pursuit.  Several suspects reportedly entered the restaurant and one of the suspects was carrying a knife. The suspects left empty handed.

At least two of the suspects were involved in the July 21, 2011 attempted robbery of the CountrySide McDonald’s.  In that case the suspects attempted to rob the restaurant but the employees were able to flee leaving the suspects empty handed.

Angel A. Menjivar, age 22, of Leesburg, and Henri M. Aguirre-Membrano, age 19, of Falls Church were charged with two counts of attempted robbery and gang participation. Both Menjivar and Aguirre-Membrano are being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on ICE detainers. The third suspect, a 15-year-old male from Falls Church, VA was issued a detention order for the July 26, 2011 attempted robbery. Further charges are pending against the juvenile.

Members of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division continue to investigate the case and are attempting to identify two additional suspects. If you have any information regarding this case you are asked to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.

UPDATE 4 p.m., July 25

[Updates in italics]

Four masked men, at least one armed with a knife, walked into the Pidgeon Hill Drive McDonald’s July 21 and attempted to rob the store but left empty-handed after the employees fled, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.

The men, all described as Hispanic, walked into the store around 12:24 a.m. with their faces covered.

“Some of them had what appeared to be T-shirts to cover their faces,” said LCSO spokesman Kraig Troxell. “One had what would be described as a ski mask.”

While the suspects had their faces covered, investigator’s noticed on video that at least two of the suspects were wearing identifiable clothing. One of the suspects wore a LA Dodgers baseball hat and a black T-shirt with an unusual design. Another suspect wore a Texas Longhorns hat as well as a T-shirt with an unknown image on the back.

As one of the suspects brandished a knife, the employees rushed out of the restaurant. Troxell said after the employees left, the suspects fled immediately.

Troxell said surveillance video from surrounding businesses would be checked. He also asked that residents in the surrounding area who saw the men or have surveillance video that may have captured their images contact the sheriff’s office.

Because the employees ran out of the store, it’s not known whether the suspects fled the area in a vehicle or on foot.

Anyone with information regarding this attempted robbery, is asked to contact Investigator M. Bush of the LCSO Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919. If the information leads to an arrest and indictment, the caller could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.