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Four arrested in string of SF robberies
Lauren Hernández
July 16, 2020 Updated: July 16, 2020 6:38 p.m.

File photo of police car lights. Flashing Lights on Police Car

Photo: Jacom Stephens, Getty Image

Four men suspected of at least nine robberies

across San Francisco have been arrested after a
months-long investigation, police announced
this week.

Police identified the suspects as Christopher

Stenschke, 26, and Rayquan Murray, 20, both of
San Francisco, and Lafayette Davenport and
Levon McGinnis. No ages or residences were
given for Davenport and McGinnis.

Police said Wednesday the men will be charged

with multiple felony counts of robbery and
conspiracy — as well as other felony and
misdemeanor charges — connected to robberies
dating to Feb. 23.

“While arrests have been made, this remains an

active and ongoing investigation,” police said in a
lengthy news release that described the
circumstances of each suspect’s arrest.

On April 23, police responded to a report of a

robbery at Ninth Avenue and Clement Street,
where they found a victim who had been robbed
at gunpoint of a backpack, cash and credit cards.
The victim reported being dragged into a black
Dodge Challenger by male suspects, but was able
to break free before the suspects drove away.

Police determined that the victim’s credit cards

were used shortly after the robbery at a gas
station about 6 miles away on San Bruno Avenue.
An investigator who reviewed surveillance
footage from the gas station said he saw three of
the suspects there: Murray, McGinnis and
Davenport. All had outstanding arrest warrants
for armed robberies dating to late February,
police said.

Police said the investigator returned to the gas

station on April 27 and reported seeing Davenport
and another male, later identified as Stenschke,
“who was also wanted for a string of violent
robberies.” The investigator said the men got into
a black Mercedes-Benz sedan, so he asked police
to stop the vehicle. The car drove away, and a
police pursuit ensued from San Francisco and
into Oakland, police said.

The chase ended nearly 13 miles away, at Seventh

and Magnolia streets in Oakland, where police
said the two suspects got out of the car and ran.

Oakland police officers found Stenschke, and San

Francisco police arrested him for an outstanding
warrant for robbery. Police said they couldn’t find
Davenport.

While that pursuit was under way, officers in San

Francisco responded to an unrelated hit-and-run
crash at Goettingen and Woolsey streets. Police
said the hit-and-run driver and passengers got
out of the vehicle and ran — and that the driver
turned out to be McGinnis, and one of the
passengers was Murray, both suspects in the
robberies.

Authorities said McGinnis eluded police, but

Murray was detained.

Meanwhile, officers were still searching for

Davenport. Police said they next saw him on May
8, driving on Sunnydale Avenue, and recognized
him from a recent Crime Alert.

“Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but

Davenport eluded the officers in his vehicle and
jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot,” San
Francisco police said.

Police arrested Davenport less than a quarter mile

away, on Santos Street.

Two months later, on July 8, officers responded

to a report of a shooting in the 100 block of Kiska
Road. The officers identified the victim, who had
non-life-threatening injuries, as McGinnis. He
had an outstanding warrant and was arrested.

“This investigation is an example of our officers

and investigators (working) collaboratively, and
are tireless in solving violent crimes in our city,”
police said in the statement.

Anyone with information about the crimes the

four are accused of should call the Police
Department’s 24-hour tip line at 415-575-4444 or
submit a tip by texting TIP411 and beginning the
text message with “SFPD.”

Lauren Hernández is a San Francisco Chronicle

staff writer. Email:
lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter:
@ByLHernandez

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