Suspect Arrested on Suspicion of Armed Robberies of Elderly Women
NOVATO — A man suspected of robbing elderly women at gunpoint was arrested following an investigation involving police and the sheriff’s office. The suspect was taken into custody when he showed up for an appointment.
Deshawn Ford-Howard, 33 of Richmond, was arrested March 10, and subsequently released from Marin County Jail. The Marin County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing multiple charges against Ford-Howard.
Ford-Howard initially became a suspect in a collaborative investigation involving Novato and San Rafael police. The agencies linked him to similar armed robberies of elderly women, which occurred in both cities last month.
Three robbery victims were confronted while they were out shopping. A 74-year-old lady was robbed at gunpoint outside a store on Francisco Boulevard West in San Rafael. A firearm was pointed at her by a man demanding her purse, and she handed it over to him.
Two other elderly women were victims of armed robbery at Vintage Oaks Shopping Center in Novato. The modus operandi of the thief was similar in all three robberies.
Investigators identified the suspect with recorded video evidence. The suspect’s car was recorded on video, and the suspect himself was recorded allegedly using a stolen credit card.
Ford-Howard is also suspected of committing other crimes. A tactical team comprised of officers from Novato and San Rafael and the Marin County Sheriff’s Office Specialized Investigative Unit arrested Ford-Howard.
He was booked at Marin County Jail for –
Robbery
False imprisonment by violence
Use of a credit card without consent
Burglary
Caretaker theft from an elder
