Suspect arrested in string of armed robberies in San Diego, El Cajon

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego and El Cajon police have arrested a suspect who was wanted in connection to a string of armed robberies between the two cities last week.

According to San Diego police, investigators were able to connect four incidents that occurred in the early morning hours Wednesday in four different communities in the county — Pacific Beach, Bay Park, Kearny Mesa and El Cajon — as part of the spree.

The first incident occurred around 2 a.m. in the area of 4500 Mission Blvd. Two suspects drove up to two victims waiting to be picked up and demanded their valuables at gunpoint before fleeing the scene, SDPD Lt. Matt Dobbs said in a release on Monday.

One of the suspects in the car, which was identified as a gray Ford Taurus, was described by the victims as having distinctive tattoos on their face, Dobbs said.

The second case occurred "a short time later" at the Bay Park 7-Eleven location on 3090 Clairemont Dr., according to Dobbs. A male suspect entered the store, robbing the clerk at gunpoint before fleeing the scene. The suspect was described as wearing a mask and a hooded sweatshirt.

The third robbery occurred at another 7-Eleven, this one in Kearny Mesa at 7801 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Similarly to the previous convenience store robbery, Dobbs said the suspect was identified as wearing a mask and a hooded sweatshirt.

The fourth and final robbery identified as part of the string happened around 3 a.m. at the 7-Eleven located at 2270 Fletcher Pkwy. in El Cajon. The suspect description and actions were "similar to the previous cases in the city of San Diego," Dobbs said.

According to SDPD, the Automated License Plate Recognition system, also known as "smart streetlights," helped connect the robberies after picking up the same vehicle in areas near the where each of the crimes were committed.

Investigators later identified Anthony Caleb Johnson, a 22-year-old Lakeside resident, as one of the suspects in the case, according to SDPD. He was arrested on suspicion of armed robbery after police carried out a search warrant at his home on Saturday, July 13.

No other suspects have been identified in the incident and an investigation remains ongoing.