'Chrome Revolver Bandit' Pleads Not Guilty to 37 Felonies

A man accused of committing dozens of Bay Area robberies using a chrome revolver pleaded not guilty to 37 felony counts in San Mateo County Court Tuesday.

Ricky Renee Sanders, 34, was nicknamed the "chrome revolver bandit" because of the silver-barreled revolver he allegedly used in as many as 30 armed robberies or attempted robberies at retail businesses in several Bay Area cities, according to the district attorney's office.

In the most serious case, Sanders is accused of shooting a store clerk in the leg while robbing a PetSmart store in San Mateo on Oct. 8, prosecutors said.

The victim suffered a severed femoral artery but survived the shooting.

Investigators believe Sanders is linked to as many as 30 armed robberies or attempted robberies in at retail businesses around the Bay Area. The crimes include holdups at in Redwood City, Colma, Menlo Park; a GameStop in San Carlos and Colma; a PetCo in San Bruno; and businesses in San Francisco, San Jose, Daly City and Fremont, prosecutors said.          

Sanders today pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of robbery with a firearm, five counts of attempted robbery, six counts of assault with a firearm, nine counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of mayhem.

He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on April 30.

--Bay City News

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