Suspect arrested in series of armed robberies in San Diego and El Cajon – NBC 7 San Diego

A suspect has been arrested in connection with a series of predawn armed robberies lasting about an hour that took place last week in Pacific Beach, Clairemont and El Cajon, authorities said Monday.

The first of the four robberies occurred around 2 a.m. Wednesday in the 4500 block of Mission Boulevard, near Crystal Pier, San Diego police said. The two victims were waiting for a ride when two thieves pulled up, threatened them with a gun and robbed them, SDPD Lt. Matt Dobbs said.

The next three robberies – committed by a lone man wearing a hoodie and face mask – occurred in quick succession at 7-Eleven stores in the 3000 block of Clairemont Drive, the 7800 block of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and the 2200 block of Fletcher Parkway, according to police.

Using information from victims and witnesses, as well as automatic license plate recognition technology, investigators were able to identify 22-year-old Anthony Caleb Johnson of Lakeside as one of the suspects, Dobbs said.

“The ALPR system showed that the vehicle (in which the robbers were traveling) was in the area of ​​all four cases at the time the crime was committed,” the lieutenant said.

According to police, investigators are still working to identify the second suspect.

Johnson was arrested Saturday and booked into San Diego Central Jail. He was being held on $200,000 bail pending arraignment Wednesday afternoon.