Police Arrest Suspect in 3 Watsonville Motel Robberies

A suspect in three robberies at a Watsonville motel earlier this week has been arrested, police said.

The first robbery was reported at 3:35 a.m. Monday at the Days Inn at 1620 W. Beach St. when someone staying at the motel told police that a man had entered the room and tried to steal a laptop computer and a purse.

The motel guest woke up and stopped the man, who ran from the room, police said. Officers returned to the motel at 7:05 a.m. because the clerk reported that the motel had been robbed twice overnight.

The suspect first came in looking for a guest at the motel, but later returned and robbed the clerk of his laptop computer and wallet. The man then returned and demanded the clerk tell him the PIN for his ATM card, but the clerk refused, so the man took the money in the cash register instead.

The robber threatened the clerk, telling him he had a gun and that he knows where the clerk lives, police said. Investigators reviewed the motel's surveillance footage and recognized 37-year-old Armando Farfan from an arrest last month.

Police learned Farfan was staying at another Watsonville motel with his girlfriend and found him there on Wednesday. He was arrested after a brief standoff.

Officers searched his room and found some of the stolen items from the Days Inn, police said.

Farfan was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail. Anyone with information about the robberies has been asked to call Watsonville police at (831) 728-3455 or (831) 768-3350.

Copyright © 2014 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.