19-year-old armed robbery and burglary suspects luck ends with a crash

19-year-old Matthew Tyler Cruddas is in custody for burglarizing a home in San Juan Bautista and holding up a market with a gun.

San Benito County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to Via Serra Street, in San Juan Bautista regarding a residential burglary that had occurred Saturday. While deputies were on their way to the home they received another call about an armed robbery at Neil’s Market.

Deputies were rerouted to the armed robbery. A witness was able to give law enforcement a detailed description of Cruddas car which was last seen driving west towards Highway 101 on Highway 156.

The victim at Neil’s Market told deputies Cruddas used a white t-shirt to cover his face. The victim said Cruddas told him, “Give me all your money or I’ll shoot you.” Cruddas showed the victim a gun in his waistband.

Once deputies went to the scene of the burglary on Via Serra, witnesses there gave descriptions of the suspect which matched that of the armed robber.

A short time later, San Benito County Deputies were informed of an accident in the 1200 block of San Juan Road in Monterey County. California Highway Patrol units were at the crash site where the suspect matched the robberies and burglary in San Juan Bautista.

Deputies were able to identify Matthew Tyler Cruddas as the suspect to the crimes. The handgun, cash and stolen property were all recovered.

Cruddas was booked into the San Benito County Jail on multiple felonies.