West Hartford Police quickly apprehend three suspects after one leaves his wallet with ID at the scene.

From left: Randall Michaels, Timothy Warren, Keith Warren. Photos courtesy of West Hartford Police

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford Police responded to an armed robbery at a gas station Monday night, and were quickly able to track the suspects through an iPhone that they stole. One of the suspects could quickly be identified as well, after he left his wallet with identification in the store.

Randall Michaels, 32, Timothy Warren, 49, and Keith Warren, 37, were all arrested within an hour after the robbery occurred. Timothy Warren is Keith Warren’s uncle, police said.

According to police, a Hispanic male and a black male entered the Mobil gas station at 55 Kane St. at 9:11 p.m. armed with what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon. Among the items stolen was an iPhone equipped with the “find my iPhone” application.

Police were able to track the phone to 24 Merrill St., Hartford, which was also the address shown on the identification in a wallet left at the scene of the robbery by one of the suspects.

“Many things in the wallet led us right to him,” West Hartford Police Lt. Ted Stoneburner said. The wallet fell out of Michaels’ pocket when he climbed off the counter, Stoneburner said.

When West Hartford Police, assisted by Hartford Police, arrived at 24 Merrill St. they found a black Nissan with Florida plates in the rear parking lot, identified as the possible getaway car. Clothing described by the victim found in the vehicle “in plain view,” police said.

Police said that the three suspects were located in an apartment in the Merrill Street building, and evidence of the robbery was found in plain view.

The two suspects who entered the Mobil store were identified by the victim, police said.

The two suspects who entered the Mobil store, as well as the suspect who was driving the getaway vehicle, are all suspects in other West Hartford robberies as well, Stoneburner said. The black Nissan has also been previously identified from other robberies. Stoneburner could not comment on those cases because the investigations are still active, he said.

The gun which Michaels was brandishing appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon but was discovered by police to be a facsimile.

Michaels has been charged with first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit second-degree larceny, brandishing a facsimile firearm, and carrying a dangerous weapon. He is being held on $350,000 bond.

Both Timothy and Keith Warren have been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit second-degree larceny. Both are being held on $350,000 bond.

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