Crime & Safety
Banning Man Arrested In OC Amid Robbery In Progress Call: Cops
A woman inside the Westminster home managed to hide inside a closet and call 911, prompting a rapid police response.
BANNING, CA — One of four men suspected in a home invasion in Westminster was arrested, police said Tuesday.
Officers responded to a home in the 8900 block of Pebble Beach Circle, near Burning Tree Street, where an armed robbery was in progress around 10:40 p.m. Monday, according to Westminster Police Department Sgt. Eddie Esqueda,
Responding officers witnessed four male suspects wearing masks exiting the house from the front door armed with handguns, Esqueda said.
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Danny Sommay, 29 of Banning, was arrested Monday in front of the house after throwing his handgun over a nearby brick wall, Esqueda said.
A loaded 9mm was recovered and determined to have been stolen.
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Sommay was booked at the Orange County Jail on charges of kidnapping, robbery, burglary, conspiracy to commit a felony, possession of a loaded stolen firearm and armed criminal action, Esqueda said.
Sommay was being held in lieu of $1 million, Esqueda said.
A preliminary investigation led detectives to discover five victims, including a 14-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl, along with two women, one described by police as elderly, and a man, were inside the house when the burglary occurred.
One suspect shoved the man to the ground and shot him with a stun gun in an attempt to get him to comply with the robbers' demands, Esqueda said. Four of the victims were tied up in the living room as the robbers demanded to know where the valuables were kept, Esqueda said.
One women managed to hide inside a closet and call 911, prompting a police response within three minutes, Esqueda said.
With the assistance of the Huntington Beach Police Department's HB-1 helicopter officers searched the area for the remaining suspects but they were able to elude police, Esqueda said.
Anyone with further information on the home invasion was urged to call Westminster Police Department Major Crimes Unit Detective Malcolm Pierson III at 714-548-3759. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.
