A 29-year-old Ceres man was arrested Tuesday morning, Jan. 15 after he allegedly stole two bottles of whiskey from the Mitchell Road Rite-Aid and threatened to use a knife on the manager trying to stop him.

Ceres Police were called to the store at 8:50 a.m. The manager said he had confronted a male, later identified as Francisco Munoz, 29, of Ceres, after he took stole two bottles of whiskey. Munoz told the manager he had a knife, which was visible in his hand. The manager backed off and Munoz fled on foot with the stolen liquor.

Officer Jon Vera reviewed the security video and immediately recognized Munoz from several prior contacts. A few hours later, Officer Vera was dispatched to the canal bank behind the apartment complex in the 2800 block of Della Drive with a report of a man and woman verbally fighting.

Vera arrived and discovered that Munoz and Vivian Espinoza, 31, of Ceres, were sitting on the canal bank with an empty bottle of whiskey between them. It was the same brand of whiskey stolen from the Rite-Aid. Munoz was also wearing the same clothing seen in the security video. Munoz was booked for robbery.

Espinoza was placed under arrest for public intoxication.