SAN DIEGO (KSWB) — Three teens have been taken into police custody in connection to a series of armed robberies at convenience stores across San Diego.

San Diego Police Department Lt. Adam Sharki said officers made a traffic stop connected to the ongoing investigation on Friday, Dec. 15. At that time, two 16-year-old males and a 14-year-old male were arrested.

According to police, the juveniles were connected to at least six robbery cases in San Diego. One of the suspects was also wanted in connection to a recent delivery driver robbery series.

Lt. Sharki confirmed officers recovered three firearms during the stop, including an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. At least one of these firearms was reported to be a ghost gun that had no serial number.

All three suspects were booked into Juvenile Hall. Their identities are being withheld due to their age. 

Former law enforcement and police expert Jack Strumsky said there was likely a lot of factors that went into the investigation that led to the arrests, and is glad the situation did not escalate into someone getting seriously hurt, such as a convenience store employee.

“The Convenience Store Association got together, they were collecting information. Then you have social media, you have informants on the ground. They’re are all playing for the same thing, to get these kids off the streets before somebody gets hurt,” Strumsky added.

Prior to the arrests, NewsNation local affiliate FOX 5 interviewed Lt. Adam Sharki with SDPD on how the crimes could be connected.

“There’s got to be an evidentiary connection in order to link them. So even though you may have a couple of robberies that feel similar or look similar, the investigators, there’s certain things they have to do to connect them,” Sharki said.

“It’s not over.” Strumsky said these three arrests will likely lead to more arrests. “They only have three, there’s five suspects at least, and probably six because you have a driver, so where is he? And the guys who set these robberies up, where is that person?” 

An investigation into these robbery cases remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding these incidents is encouraged to call the Robbery Unit or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

FOX 5’s Zara Barker contributed to this report