Jul 15, 2008

Robbery, car theft suspects nabbed

Daily News Staff Report

San Mateo police arrested two men on suspicion of robbery and car theft Monday.

Parolee Kevin Taft Miller, 38, of San Mateo, attempted to rob a man who was with two friends about 1:47 a.m. Monday on the 200 block of North Claremont Street, San Mateo police reported. Miller unsuccessfully tried to grab the victim's chain and punched him in the back of the head; when the man fell to the ground, Miller pointed an object resembling a gun at him, police said.

Fearing for their lives, the victim and his friends fled. Police said Miller and an accomplice, Keenen Jones, 41, used the victim's keys, dropped sometime during the attempted robbery, to steal the victim's car.

The victims called the San Mateo Police Department, which put out a countywide alert. Brisbane and South San Francisco police arrested Miller and Jones in the stolen car on northbound 101, near Alamany Boulevard in San Francisco, San Mateo police said.

Both Miller and Jones were arrested on suspicion of auto theft. Miller was also arrested on suspicion of robbery and violating his parolee; Jones was also arrested on suspicion of possessing a switchblade-type knife. They were booked into San Mateo County jail.