West Covina Officers Witness Armed Robbery Near La Puente

Two West Covina police detectives working plain clothes in an unmarked vehicle today witnessed an armed robbery, saw a woman and a victim struggling before the suspect fled, and later arrested a Garden Grove woman.

The detectives were patrolling an unincorporated area near La Puente in the 200 block of South Hacienda Boulevard when they saw the robbery occur. After watching the suspect fighting with the victim, the suspect fled, leaving a handgun at the scene, said West Covina Public Information Officer Rudy Lopez.

Calling for backup, the detectives followed the woman who was driving away from the scene. Several West Covina patrol cars responded with overhead lights and sirens going, and caught the suspect in the 13600 block of Valley Boulevard where she was taken into custody, Lopez said.

The suspect was identified as Nancy Eap, 32, of Garden Grove, Lopez said. She booked for armed robbery and held on $100,000 bail at the West Covina Police Department.

While responding, two patrol cars collided at Hacienda Boulevard and Temple Avenue in La Puente. One patrol car went through a block wall and into a house. The house was occupied, but no one was injured. An officer was taken to a hospital and later released.