Men arrested in Dublin assault, robbery

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, May 10, 2007 | by Roman Gokhman

DUBLIN -- Police arrested two men suspected of robbing and assaulting a man last month at Hacienda Crossings mall.

Marcus Bryant, 19, of Dublin and Paolo Lacson, 25, of Pleasanton were spotted by a plainclothes detective near the scene of the original crime -- Regal Cinemas at the mall.

"The detective was walking by Regal Cinemas at 10:05 p.m. on May 4," Sgt. Herb Walters said, and saw both of the suspects in front of the theater.

"He had the picture of them on him and recognized them," Walters said. "They didn't put up a fight."

The robbery and assault took place about 8:20 p.m. April 16 in the west parking lot at the mall, near On the Border restaurant.

Anthony Lazzaretto, 20, of Dublin and his girlfriend were walking from Fuddruckers restaurant to their car, and passed two men who initiated a conversation. Then, police said, they demanded Lazzaretto's wallet.

After getting the wallet, Bryant allegedly stabbed Lazzaretto in the neck with a pocket knife.

The robbers fled west toward Hacienda Drive.

Lazzaretto was taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley with a

1-inch cut and received stitches.

The suspects are likely to face charges of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

Walters said Bryant and Lacson have no criminal record in the

Tri-Valley, and police figured out who they were when they used the victim's credit card at a store soon after the robbery and there faces were caught on camera.

There is no connection between the suspects and the victim, he said.

"They did not know him at all," he said. "There was no one else around and it was an opportunity."

Roman Gokhman can be reached at (925) 416-4849 or rgokhman@trivalleyherald.com.