An 18-year-old man and 15-year-old male believed to have robbed a local Sierra Minit Mart clerk at gunpoint were arrested Thursday, the Porterville Police Department reported.

Police also believe the same pair, identified as Porterville residents David Garfield, 18, and the unnamed 15-year-old were behind a second armed robbery of another local Sierra Minit Mart at 730 S. Plano St. that occurred on Tuesday.
According to police reports, on Thursday both suspects entered the convenience store at 1012 W. Henderson Ave., brandished their weapons and demanded money from the store clerk. Although the clerk complied with their demands, one of them fired his weapon inside the store, police reported.
The suspects reportedly took off with an undisclosed amount of cash and fled on foot.
No one was struck by gunfire, police said.

At approximately 2 a.m., officers where reportedly lead on a short vehicle pursuit after attempting to make a traffic stop on a white Honda that was driving erratically in the area of Olive Avenue and Mathew Street.

The pursuit continued to the outlying areas of Porterville where it was turned over to the California Highway Patrol and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department.
The suspects’ vehicle became disabled at the Tule River Reservation, where the pursuit came to a halt and the two were arrested, police reported.

At the time of the arrest, officers reportedly found evidence in connection to the robbery at the Henderson Avenue store.

During the investigation into the armed robbery, detectives located evidence that further linked the two to a separate armed robbery that happened on Tuesday at about 11 p.m. at the Plano Street store.

Detectives learned that during both robberies, the suspects entered the store armed with weapons, demanded money, and fired a single shot inside the store.
Garfield and the teen are being held on suspicion of armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, brandishing a firearm, possession of stolen property, felony evading arrest and conspiracy. 

Police are unsure if all of the stolen money from both locations was located although some stolen currency was located inside the car.
The case remains under investigation and anyone with information can contact Det. Erik Martinez or Sgt. John Hall at 782-7400.