Images are from two robberies that occurred in Hayward, along with two handguns that were recovered during search warrants related to this collaborative investigation. Source: Hayward PD
Multi-agency effort
By Hayward Police Department
Three arrests have been made related to a string of 11 robberies that took place in the Eastern San Francisco Bay Area over a span of seven months from August 2023 through February 2024.
The 11 robberies occurred in multiple cities in the East Bay including seven in Hayward, one in Livermore, one in Fremont, one in San Leandro and one in Castro Valley.
With assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, the following individuals have been taken into custody for various charges including robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated kidnapping, and various weapons violations:
- 42-year-old Oakland resident Jaray A. Washington was taken into custody on Feb. 13, 2024. Washington is believed to be responsible for all 11 robberies.
- 24-year-old Oakland resident Cameron Jamary Watkins was taken into custody on Mar. 11, 2024. Watkins is believed to be responsible for two robberies in concert with Washington.
- 26-year-old Concord resident Deante Hunt was taken into custody on Apr. 4, 2024. Hunt is believed to be responsible for two robberies in concert with Washington.
During each robbery, at least one subject brandished a firearm. In some cases, the subjects moved employees and/or customers to other parts of the businesses and forced employees to hand over cash from registers and/or safes while being held at gunpoint. The subjects also forced employees and customers to hand over their personal property while at gunpoint before the subjects fled the scene.
The coordinated effort amongst multiple agencies, including the support and resources provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States (US) Marshals Service, was instrumental in the identification and apprehension of those believed to be responsible for these crimes. We extend our gratitude to the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service for their invaluable assistance.
Hayward Police Chief Bryan Matthews commented on the arrests, stating, “I am so proud of the hard work throughout this investigation. The coordinated effort between our law enforcement partners shows the steadfast commitment to ensure the safety and well-being, not just in our respective communities, but for the entire Bay Area.
I personally want to commend the hard work and dedication of our Hayward detectives and detectives from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, San Leandro Police Department, Fremont Police Department, and Livermore Police Department. Your tireless efforts, thorough investigative steps, and unwavering commitment were instrumental in bringing these cases to successful resolution.
Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to work diligently so communities feel safe where they work and live. I commend everyone’s hard work to bring those believed to be responsible for these crimes to justice.”
“I want to thank the detectives for their hard work and coordination with our allied agencies,” said Livermore Police Chief Jeramy Young. “Jaray Washington is a violent repeat offender who has been previously convicted for armed robberies in the South Bay Area. We will be tracking this case as it moves through the criminal justice system.”
According to localcrimenews.com, the five-foot, 10-inch tall, 195-pound Washington is Black and has a history of arrests dating to 2019 for various crimes including residential robbery and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, Watkins is five-foot, 10-inches tall, 152 pounds and is Black; and the six-foot, two-inch tall, 160-pound Hunt is Black and was also arrested in 2018 by Emeryville PD for a warrants or holds only.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
