Danville Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Stealing – A Leafblower – At Knifepoint

Ed Note: Longtime readers know how we feel about leafblowers, known to some around these parts as “Satan’s Whistles,” so to head off any accusation of blower bias we’re going to play this one straight from the sarge’s desk. The video is of an unrelated theft, but perhaps illustrates the lengths some people are willing to go to acquire one of these modern marvels: 

At 9:59 a.m. on Oct 9, 2018, officers responded to a report of a solo vehicle accident at the intersection of Brookside Dr and Sycamore Valley Road.

It turned out a vehicle had collided with a light pole and its airbag had deployed. At approximately 10:10 a.m., while on scene at the accident, officers were informed of an armed robbery that occurred approximately a half mile away on Sycamore Circle.

In the incident, the victim was robbed at knifepoint by a suspect described as a Hispanic male adult, mid 20’s, thin build, wearing dark clothing. The suspect took gardening equipment (a leafblower) from the victim and fled in a blue Nissan 4-door sedan. Officers determined that the vehicle at their scene was related to the robbery and detained the occupants.

A suspect, identified as Tyler Soohoo, 30, of Danville, was taken into custody on charges of armed robbery, probation violation, and brandishing a weapon.

Soohoo was briefly treated at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, and then booked into the Martinez Detention Facility.