Computer Store Holdups May Be the Work of Ring

Four men suspected of shooting a Santa Ana computer store owner Thursday may be part of an organized crime ring responsible for an earlier holdup in Fountain Valley and other recent thefts of microchips in Orange County, authorities said Friday.

Fountain Valley Police Lt. Rod Gillman said, however, that investigators believe the four suspects, reputed to be members of a Vietnamese gang, were not involved in Thursday’s robbery of P.H. Computers in Mile Square Plaza.

“The physical descriptions (of the Fountain Valley bandits) do not match (with those of the four suspects) and other evidence has led investigators to believe that the same men were not involved,” Gillman said. “But the way the entire operation was (executed), we believe that they are connected to the same group.”

On Thursday afternoon, four armed robbers stormed into P.H. Computers and tied up the store’s five employees. Store owner Peter Tran said Friday that the bandits escaped with $100,000 worth of microchips and computer hardware.

About a half hour after the Fountain Valley robbery, armed bandits entered A.H. Computer Co. about two miles away on Warner Avenue in Santa Ana. The bandits shot owner Anxuan Huynh, 29, in the thigh when he attempted to resist the robbery.

Police officers, who became suspicious when they saw four men enter the store, chased the bandits.

Police later arrested Tinh Nguyen, 21, of Santa Ana; Thang Van Nguyen, 20, of Anaheim; Be Van Nguyen, 23, of Garden Grove and Tung Phoung Trinh, 20, of Garden Grove.

Santa Ana Sgt. Art Echternacht said Friday that the suspects were being held on suspicion of armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. He said police could not release further details because it might jeopardize the investigation.

Huynh, who was taken to the Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center after the shooting, was released Thursday night. But A.H. Computer Co., near Warner Avenue and Fairview Street, remained closed Friday.

The P.H. Computer Co. was open for business. Employees said they were still shaken by the incident.

Toan Trinh, 29, said four men burst into the store about 12:30 p.m., armed with shotguns and carrying walkie-talkies. A bandit pointed a shotgun at owner Peter Tran’s head while another stuck a yellow sheet of legal paper on the inside of the door. On it was scrawled: “Out to lunch. Will be Back at 1:15.”

Three other gunmen rounded up the other store employees, ordering them to lie on the floor.

Trinh said he had to think quickly. “No (gunman) was covering me . . . and I knew if I (made) any move I would be an easy target,” Trinh said. “So I put my hands on my head and said, ‘Please give me orders.’ ”

He said the gunmen then tied his hands with rope.

The robbers led Trinh, Tran and three other employees into a dark stockroom. Trinh said the bandits spoke into walkie-talkies as they hauled boxes of hard disks, video adapters, computer chips and other computer hardware through a back door and into a van.

He said: “They were saying things like ‘What’s going on outside?’ and ‘Get closer! Get closer!’ ”

Investigators believe the two robberies are linked to at least 12 heists in which microchips have been stolen in Orange County and the San Jose area. Federal agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. Customs Service, have said they are investigating the involvement of Vietnamese gangs in the thefts.