EPPD: Robber threatened victim with syringe, said it contained ‘disease tainted blood’
An alleged robber threatened a store employee with a syringe, telling her the red liquid it contained was disease tainted blood.
Juan Reynaldo Bernal, 49, is charged with Aggravated Robbery.
On December 18, 2016, Bernal walked into Sally’s Beauty Supply store located at 1478 George Dieter in East El Paso and allegedly robbed an employee while threatening her with the syringe.
Police said Bernal demanded money from the employee and rode away with the money on a black motorcycle.
On February 9, 2017, police said the commander of the Pebble Hills Regional Command Center saw Bernal, who matched the description of the robbery suspect, parked at the Oreilly’s Auto Parts store located near the police command center.
The commander called investigators, who then followed Bernal to a residence on the 12300 block of Nancy Lee.
Police said a search of the residence led officers to the discovery of evidence connecting Bernal to the robbery at Sally’s Beauty Supply.
Bernal was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility under a $50,000 bond.
