Two arrested in string of armed robbery attempts

Santa Fe police arrested a man and woman Sunday after a string of attempted robberies in three different grocery store parking lots in just 20 minutes.

Shannon Montoya, 36, and Andrew Quintana, age unknown, were charged with armed robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, said Santa Fe Police Capt. Robert Vasquez. Montoya and Quintana are accused of taking part in the succession of crimes on Saturday evening; in each case, the suspects targeted single women who were walking with children, Vasquez added.

The third suspect, an unidentified male, was still at large as of Sunday afternoon.

Quintana drove a blue 1990s Honda that has serious body damage to it through the parking lot at Smith’s Food and Drug on Cerrillos Road, around 6:45 p.m. Saturday. Montoya sat in the passenger seat and the third suspect sat in the back, Vasquez said.

Montoya, who had a handgun in the waistband of her pants, got out of the car and approached a woman and her young child who had just left the store. Montoya demanded money from the victim, who did not give her any. Montoya got back into the vehicle, and the suspects drove off. The victim then called police, Vasquez said.

A few minutes later, the trio pulled into the nearby Food King parking lot on the corner of Llano Street and St. Michael’s Drive, where they spotted another woman walking out of the store with her daughter. This time Montoya “pulled out a small handgun and pointed it at the lady, demanding money and the lady’s wallet,” Vasquez said. But the victim said she did not have a wallet or any money, so Montoya got back in the car and the suspects drove away. That victim also called police.

Quintana then drove the car into the nearby Smith’s at Pacheco Street and St. Michael’s Drive. There, Montoya again pulled out the handgun and aimed it at a woman who was with her teenage daughter. When Montoya demanded money, the victim instead gave her a suitcase which only held clothing. The suspects then left the scene and that victim also called police.

“Patrol officers saturated the area of the crimes and detectives were called out,” Vasquez said. “During the investigation they were able to identify two of the suspects as Shannon Montoya and Andrew Quintana. Their vehicle was located at the Warren Inn [on Cerrillos Road] where they were arrested around 5:30 a.m. Sunday.”

Police booked the two suspects into the Santa Fe County jail, where they are being held without bond. Police officers seized the blue Honda and were planning to conduct a search of it sometime Sunday, Vasquez said.

Vasquez said Montoya and Quintana have a history of property crime charges against them in Santa Fe, Chimayó and Española. An online search of court records for Montoya shows a string of run-ins with the law dating back to at least 2007. Many of the charges relate to burglary and drug possession, and most were dismissed.

Vasquez said that all three female victims did the right thing: “They did not fight, they complied, they were very observant and they contacted law enforcement,” he said. “There’s nothing more valuable than human life.”

He said shoppers leaving stores after dark should remain vigilant of their surroundings and keep an eye out for suspicious people or vehicles.

“Be observant,” he said. “And do not resist. Cooperate if someone demands money at gunpoint.”