Las Cruces police arrest man accused of robbing local cellphone store

Kevin R. Altamirano, 25, is accused of attempted armed robbery of a local cellphone store.

Police say that shortly after 9 a.m. Friday they were dispatched to a Cricket Wireless store at 2182 N. Main St. after a report of an attempted armed robbery. Store employees claim that Altamirano walked into the store and asked if store employees would help charge his phone. He then asked employees if he could check his phone and began to type a message on his phone before showing it to a store employee. The message indicated that the employee should open the cash register and hand over cash or he would open fire, police said. Employees say that Altamirano then lifted his shirt to reveal a concealed handgun.

Employees told Las Cruces police that Altamirano left the store without taking any money when a customer walked in.

Police learned that Altamirano may have been encouraged to commit the armed robbery by a relative who works at the Cricket Wireless store and provided insight on how to carry out the crime.

Altamirano was later found at a friend’s nearby apartment. The handgun he used, according to police, was a black pellet gun loaned by his friend which was also located at the apartment.

He was arrested and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center. He has been charged with one count of attempted robbery and one count of tampering with evidence and was initially held without bond.

Additional charges are possible as detectives continue their investigation.