Banning police arrest suspect in armed watch robbery

A 19-year-old Beaumont man, Jonathan Portugal, was arrested in Hemet in connection with an armed robbery that occurred near the Atwell Community pool in Banning.

According to the Banning Police Department, the incident took place Tuesday afternoon after a victim arranged to sell a brand-name watch via social media. During the meeting, the suspect allegedly brandished a handgun, took the watch without providing payment, and fled the scene in a vehicle.

Detectives, working alongside the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office Gang Impact Team, identified Portugal as the suspect. Upon his arrest on Wednesday, authorities reported that he was wearing the stolen watch. The firearm used during the robbery was also recovered. Portugal has been booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility on suspicion of armed robbery and illegal possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle.