Authorities investigate string of armed robberies across San Diego County
SAN DIEGO — An overnight crime spree has prompted a countywide investigation after reports of multiple armed robberies in San Diego County.
According to both the San Diego Sheriff’s Department and San Diego Police, two or three black male suspects reportedly held up locations stretching from North County down to San Diego.
Authorities say the description of the robbery suspects appear to match for each location aside from one. From around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday night until shortly after midnight Wednesday morning, the following areas were targeted in this string of robberies:
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Stockton neighborhood
Police say three black male suspects entered a store on the 3000 block of Market Street around 11:28 p.m. They reportedly ran up to the register and removed it from the counter. They all ran out of the store with the register and were last seen running northbound 30th St.
The three suspects were said to be between 19 and 25-years-old. One was reported to be wearing black shorts and white shoes, while another had on a grey hoodie and shorts. No description was provided for the third suspect.
The financial loss is unknown at this time.
Mira Mesa neighborhood
SDPD said two suspects entered a 7-Eleven on the corner of Camino Ruiz and Capricorn Way around 11:39 p.m. and pointed guns at the clerk. The register was emptied and the two suspects were last seen headed southbound from the store, police said.
One suspect was described to be thin, standing about 5 feet tall. There were no details given in relation to the second suspect.
The store clerk was not injured during the robbery, and police say the financial loss is unknown at this time.
Barrio Logan neighborhood
In this instance, police said three black male suspects with masks came into the store and took two cash registers. They left in an unknown direction.
The only description provided was one of the suspects was wearing shorts.
The financial loss is unknown at this time.
Lake Murray neighborhood (suspect descriptions differ for this incident)
SDPD said two suspects entered a Chevron at 8780 Lake Murray Blvd. around 12:08 a.m. Wednesday. One reportedly pulled a gun and told the clerk to open the register. Police said the clerk complied and one suspect removed an unknown amount of cash from the register, while the other suspect acted as a lookout. Both suspects were last seen westbound on Navajo Road.
The first suspect was described as a 10 to 15-year-old who stood around 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighed 100 pounds. This suspect was said to wearing a grey hoodie and black mask. The second suspect was described as female of unknown age, wearing a sports jersey and pajama pants.
La Mesa
A 7-Eleven at 4200 Spring St. was robbed by two suspects around 12:20 a.m. Wednesday, the La Mesa Police Department confirmed. Cash was taken from the register, along with tobacco products from behind the counter. The suspects reportedly fled the store westbound on foot.
Police said the first suspect stood around 5 feet, 9 inches tall, and was wearing a light colored hooded jacket, white jeans and black ski mask. This suspect allegedly had a handgun.
The second suspect was described to stand 5 feet, 7 inches tall with a thin build. This individual was reported to be wearing a purple hooded jacket, blue jeans and a black ski mask.
Additional locations
The sheriff’s department confirmed additional robberies at these locations:
— Lakeside: 10100 Main Ave.
— Spring Valley: 400 Sweetwater Rd. and 9600 Campo Road.
— Santee: 9600 Carlton Hills Blvd.
— San Marcos: 26900 Mesa Rock Rd.
— Fallbrook: 550 Mission Rd.
SDSO said the suspects for these instances were reported as two or three black males wearing bandanas or ski masks. Cash registers were reported to be taken from some of these locations between 9:45 p.m. Tuesday until shortly after midnight.
No vehicle descriptions were immediately provided, and no injuries have been reported in connection to these robberies.
In a follow-up news release Wednesday, SDPD said several “armed take-over style robberies” have occurred throughout San Diego over the past six weeks.
SDPD is urgently asking for the public’s help in identifying those who may be responsible, as to avoid the robberies escalating into something more dangerous.
“These Investigations are from A-Z and we are at like B, right now,” said SDPD Public Information Officer, Lt. Adam Sharki.
Sharki said at least ten of the robberies over the last few weeks are from the same group of people. Authorities describe the group as young men, possibly younger than 18 years old.
“The description is deliberately vague and that is because the detectives working those cases they don’t want comprise the investigation,” Sharki said.
Police said the young men are targeting convenience-like stores and gas stations, typically in groups of one to four individuals — all wearing ski masks or bandanas. At times, the suspects would show a weapon before demanding money, products or in some cases, cash registers.
Sharki said that detectives believe at least some of the incidents over the last few weeks are connected, but there is still a process that investigators need to work through to confirm how many are related, if at all.
As he explained, “once (investigators) have enough things where they believe line up, they connect them. There has got to be an evidentiary connection. Even though a couple robberies that look similar or feel similar, the investigators there are certain things they can do to connect them to call it a series.”
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At this time, Sharki said SDPD cannot confirm which robberies are part of the string of crimes. However, police has confirmed with FOX 5 the three overnight robberies in the Stockton, Barrio Logan and Mira Mesa neighborhoods are believed to be connected.
In each of those cases, suspects stole cash registers or money. In Mira Mesa, police said they suspects pointed a gun at the clerk.
“Somebody knows these people,” Sharki said. “You can’t have one, two, three four plus people in an armed robbery crew and people not know about it.”
SDPD is asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspects involved in these crimes. Anyone with information can contact the Robbery Unit directly at (619) 531-2299, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
FOX 5’s Danielle Dawson and Elizabeth Alvarez contributed to this report.
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