Unknown to Quitano, 25, a surveillance camera captured his image, and a network of confidential sources of the Department of Public Safety, including its investigators, were tracking him down.
Quitano was arrested on Monday, 10 days after he and Marlon Martin, 25, staged the noontime robbery of Pink Pawnshop in Chalan Kanoa.
Two witnesses who called 911 to report the robbery, caught up with Martin in a foot chase that involved responding police officers.
Police are now looking for the driver of Quitano’s getaway vehicle.
Detective Christopher Leon Guerrero said a DPS confidential source relayed to police that he met an acquaintance of Martin and Quitano.
Quitano was bragging that the police didn’t know about him and the driver because they managed to escape right after the robbery, according to Deleon Guerrero’s affidavit of probable cause in support of the issuance of an arrest order against Quitano.
One of the pawnshop employees who joined the chase, lost track of Quitano after the robber jumped into the left rear passenger seat of a four-door sedan parked directly east of the roundhouse across from the U.S. Post Office, police said.
Two police officers who previously worked with the Department of Corrections identified Quitano from the footage of the pawnshop’s surveillance camera.
One of the officers said Quitano served time in prison five years ago.
The other officer identified Quitano through an opening in his mask, his height, and the way he walked.
Police said Martin, who was armed with a sledgehammer, struck the cashier’s booth, while Quitano hit the door with his crowbar.
They then looted the cashier’s booth and took turns in hitting the pawnshop employees with their sledgehammer and crowbar, police said.
Quitano came out of the pawnshop with the machete, crowbar and a bag. Martin was immediately arrested by the pursuing witnesses and police officers shortly after the robbery.
The Superior Court set a $20,000 cash bail for Martin and a $100,000 cash bail for Quitano.
