Orange County

Two Men Charged in Rash of Food Truck Robberies in Orange County

Felony charges were filed Wednesday against two men suspected of carrying out a rash of food truck and recycling center robberies in Orange County.

Lindsey Alvin Green, 36, of Rialto, and Derrick Stoelting, 34, of Santa Ana, were arrested late Monday night in the 1200 block of South Bristol Street when officers spotted a gray Jeep SUV matching the description of the vehicle used in the robberies, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

Police also seized a replica gun in the SUV when they were arrested, he said.

The two entered not guilty pleas and were ordered to return to court on Oct. 18 for a pretrial hearing at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.

Both men were charged Monday with two felony counts of first-degree robbery, but more charges could be forthcoming.

Santa Ana police suspect one or both of the suspects were involved in robberies of food trucks about 9:50 p.m. Friday in the 400 block of North Euclid Street and 7:25 p.m. Sunday at 800 S. Sullivan St.; and at two recycling centers in quick succession late Monday night at 1340 W. McFadden Ave. and 2610 W. Edinger Ave.

According to Garden Grove police Lt. Carl Whitney, the two are suspected in four holdups of food trucks and recycling centers in that city.

``Our detectives believe they're responsible for those crimes so they're trying to do photo lineups and going over DNA evidence,'' Whitney said, adding police are also seeking more video surveillance footage.

Garden Grove investigators suspect the suspects may be involved in:

-- a food truck robbery June 21 at Trask Avenue and Harbor Boulevard;

-- a recycling center robbery Sept. 30 at Euclid Street and Westminster Avenue;

-- a food truck robbery at Harbor Boulevard and Trask Avenue on Sunday; and

-- a food truck robbery just after 9 p.m. Monday at Euclid Street and Hazard Avenue. In that holdup, the armed robber got away with $250 and fled in a silver Jeep Cherokee, police said.

In all of the robberies, an armed suspect robbed the victims, and in two of the cases, the robber was seen jumping into the passenger side door of a waiting gray SUV, Bertagna said.

Investigators are also looking into whether the pair may be linked to a robbery in Westminster.

Stoelting pleaded guilty to corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant and assault with a deadly weapon on Jan. 9, 2006, and was initially sentenced to 270 days in jail, but ended up serving more jail time and then being sentenced to two years in prison in December 2008 for probation violations, according to court records.

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