Prison gang members pulled off inside job robbery at Round 1 Arcade, DA says
Two alleged prison gang members were arrested for robbing Round 1 Arcade in Concord and kidnapping its employees.
MARTINEZ — Two alleged members of a California prison gang have been charged with pulling off a violent robbery at Round 1, a popular arcade and bowling alley at Concord’s Sunvalley Shopping Center.
During the May robbery, gunmen wearing masks burst into the arcade through a back entrance, running into the safe room and zip-tying employees they came across. With guns drawn, they forced an employee to open a large safe containing $11,000, zip-tied her, loaded cash into Walmart bags, and left, according to court records.
After a three-month investigation, authorities filed criminal charges against two alleged participants: Vincent Timmons, 37, believed to be one of the robbers, and Vallejo resident Gary V. Dillahunty, 45, a security guard who worked at the arcade and allegedly helped plan the heist.
Charging records allege that both Timmons and Dillahunty robbed the arcade to benefit Kumi 415, also known as Kumi Nation, an African-American prison gang that originated in the Bay Area. The gang is based in San Francisco, but has members all over the Bay Area, including Contra Costa County; in 2015, two Kumi members allegedly murdered a man in Antioch as part of a plot to take over drug territory.
According to court records, Dillahunty has multiple felony convictions, including for assault with a firearm, gun possession and evading police, as well as misdemeanor convictions for unlawful sexual intercourse, battery and property crimes. However, he was still able to get a job at Got Guard, a security firm that was contracted by Round 1.
The night of the robbery, which occurred May 12 a little before midnight, Dillahunty escorted an employee to the safe room, which the employee would later tell police was not standard procedure until Got Guard began doing security there. While the employee was counting cash, Dillahunty allegedly slipped out. The masked gunmen entered the store a few minutes later.
Police began building a circumstantial case against Dillahunty, noting that he was the last person to use the outside door before the robbers came in. They identified Timmons as a possible robbery suspect, then acquired phone records — including GPS monitoring on both suspects’ phones — to conclude that both men were present at the arcade and in contact with each other that night.
Police investigated several others connected to both men, and believe that other uncharged people were involved in the robbery.
Both defendants face charges of kidnapping and robbery. Timmons additionally faces charges of being a felon in possession of firearms, as well as possessing cocaine for sale. Timmons has prior convictions for kidnapping and assault, according to court records.
The charges also carry enhancements for use of firearms, having prior convictions and gang membership.