POLICE ARREST SUSPECT IN "HIT AND RUN" BANDITS SERIES

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August 10, 2012 (San Diego)--Detectives from the San Diego Police Department’s Robbery Unit have arrested a man suspected of being the mastermind of a criminal enterprise that included a series of strong arm robberies throughout the county. Cedric Johnson, 33, was arrested on August 7 in Los Angeles at his parole agent’s office.

San Diego Police Department Robbery Unit detectives, in cooperation with investigators from the El Cajon Police Department and La Mesa Police Department to develop information that lead to the arrest of Johnson.

 

Between May 19, 2011 and June 24, 2011, a group of suspects committed nine strong arm robberies in bank parking lots throughout the county. In each case, the suspects attacked the victims by pushing or kicking them, and forcefully taking a bank deposit bag, or similar bag, from the victim’s possession. In one case, the victim sustained a broken hip in the attack.

One of the suspects, Alex Smith, was arrested by El Cajon Police officers immediately after committing one of the robberies. Detectives from the El Cajon Police Department and San Diego Police Department worked together to gather more information about the other suspects in the series.

The investigation determined that Johnson was the leader of the robbery crew, directing the actions of the others. Earlier this week, Johnson was arrested and booked into jail on multiple counts of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and a parole violation. He is scheduled to be arraigned on August 20 in San Diego Superior Court.
 


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