Man suspected of robbing several stores with knife in SW Albuquerque

A 25-year-old Albuquerque man is suspected of using a knife to rob eight stores in the South Valley.

Sergio Jhoy Salinas-Rodriguez is charged with three counts of armed robbery, four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and criminal damage to property.

The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office posted on X on Wednesday that Salinas-Rodriguez could be facing additional charges in five other robberies.

Salinas-Rodriguez is being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center. It is unknown if he has an attorney.

Court records show Salinas-Rodriguez was arrested for similar crimes in the past couple years.

Salinas-Rodriguez was arrested in February after stealing baby merchandise from a Dollar General store and then pulling a knife on an employee and, in 2020, was arrested for robbing an AutoZone at knifepoint. He pleaded guilty in both cases.

Salinas-Rodriguez was arrested on Nov. 16 in connection with the recent string of robberies.

BCSO said in its social media post that Salinas-Rodriguez used a knife to rob several cellphone stores, a Walgreens store and Subway restaurant, all in Southwest Albuquerque.

Court records show he is charged in three of those robberies, which occurred in October and November. A detective identified Salinas-Rodriguez as the suspect, and then an employee picked him out of a photo lineup.

The first robbery took place on Oct. 3 at a Cricket Wireless location on Coors SW, east of Owen.

A man — later identified as Salinas-Rodriguez — walked into the store, pulled out a kitchen knife and robbed the employee of $90 from the cash register, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

Deputies said on Nov. 9, BCSO received a report from a Subway employee on Rio Bravo, south of Flora Vista SW, regarding another armed robbery involving Salinas-Rodriguez. He jumped over the counter and told employees to open the register before slashing the manager’s forearm with a kitchen knife and taking his wallet, according to the complaint.

Then, on Nov. 14, deputies said Salinas-Rodriguez entered another Cricket Wireless on Rio Bravo SW, north of Del Sur, with a “large combat knife,” threatened an employee to open the register and took $200.

That day, deputies searched Salinas-Rodriguez’s home in the 2700 block of Rio Bravo and found packs of unopened cigarettes taken in previous robberies and several bank cards belonging to one of the robbery victims, according to the complaint.

The BCSO encourages anyone with additional information related to these cases to call 505-798-7000, email violentcrimes@bernco.gov, or reach out via its social media platforms.