Arrest Made in Conspiracy/Robbery Case

On April 28, 2022, at approximately 5:45 PM, the Chico Police Department responded to a report of a robbery that occurred in the parking lot of the Chico Mall, located at 1900 block of E. 20th Street, Chico. The female victim reported she had exited the Chico Mall, where she was shopping with her boyfriend, NICHOLAS FITZGERALD (27 years of age), when a masked adult male punched her face and stole her purse. The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle. The victim reported that inside her purse was approximately $60,000 in cash and debit-cards, proceeds from her Camp Fire settlement that she had cashed earlier in the afternoon.

Due to the circumstances of the robbery, FITZGERALD became a suspect of conspiracy and robbery. The Chico Police Department Violence Suppression Unit (VSU) investigated the incident and obtained evidence and probable cause that identified NICHLAS FITZGERALD and JESSE MCLAUGHLIN (33 years of age) as having conspired to rob the victim of her Camp Fire settlement. MCLAUGHLIN is currently in custody at the Butte County Jail on unrelated charges. While in custody, MCLAUGHLIN was served with an arrest warrant for violations of Robbery and Conspiracy.

On Monday, August 8, 2022, NICHOLAS FITZGERALD was arrested without incident while in the City of Chico. Prior to his arrest, investigators obtained additional evidence of Criminal Threats and Victim Intimidation made by FITZGERALD to the victim.

Case Number: 22-2593

Victim: Withheld

Suspect 1: NICHOLAS PATRICK FITZGERALD

Suspect 2: JESSE ANDREW MCLAUGHLIN

Location: Chico Mall, 1950 E. 20th Street, Chico

Supervisor: Sergeant D. Gregory

Division Commander: Lieutenant B. Miller