Two arrested after assault, robbery near Belmont and Fowler avenues

A robbery near Belmont and Fowler avenues ended with two arrests after Fresno police aircrew tracked a getaway car, watched it run red lights and helped detain both suspects after a crash on Clovis Avenue.

Fresno police said the robbery was reported shortly after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, 2026, in the area of Belmont Avenue and Fowler Avenue. The victim told officers two suspects assaulted him and stole his wallet and backpack before fleeing in a 2004 silver Honda Accord.

Police said aircrew found a vehicle matching that description in a nearby neighborhood and saw it briefly driving with its headlights off. The car then traveled east on Belmont Avenue toward Fowler Avenue, ran a red light and continued onto Kings Canyon Avenue before officers tried to stop it. The driver did not yield, then crashed after running another red light at Clovis Avenue.

The driver ran from the vehicle after the crash, but aircrew helped ground units set a perimeter and direct officers to the suspect, who was detained. A passenger who stayed in the car was also detained. Fresno police said both suspects were arrested on robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery charges. The driver also faced misdemeanor evading, drug DUI, misdemeanor hit and run and driving without a valid driver’s license. Police did not release the suspects’ names, ages or hometowns.

The case appears opportunistic rather than targeted, with no indication in the police account that the victim knew the suspects. It also shows how quickly Fresno police can move from a robbery call to a live tracking operation when a getaway vehicle is identified. In this case, the combination of aircrew and patrol officers led to an arrest scene that stretched from Belmont and Fowler to Clovis Avenue.

For people who live or work along that corridor, the concern is not just one night’s chase but the fact that Belmont and Fowler has drawn police attention before. In October 2024, investigators were already looking into an armed robbery at the Johnny Quik at that intersection. Fresno police have also pointed to broader crime-reduction efforts and said homicides in the city reached a 51-year low in 2025, even as robbery remains a persistent neighborhood worry in Fresno.