FRESNO – A man tried to steal a cell phone from a man who was dressed in a large black bird costume advertising for a local business. Police said that the costumed man was on South Cedar Avenue and East Kings Canyon Road in southeast Fresno around 6 p.m. attempting to promote a nearby business when the suspect approached him from behind and demanded his cell phone. The suspect – later identified by police as Bulldog gang member Lupe Rodriguez Jr. – grabbed the wing of the victim’s costume and started shoving the victim in an attempt to steal his phone, according to authorities. The costumed victim ran to a nearby business, but Rodriguez followed and continued to unsuccessfully demand that the victim hand over the phone. A video surveillance inside of the store led to Rodriguez’s arrest. Police said that southeast Fresno has experienced 14 person robberies. Nine of those involved stealing cell phones.
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