Police Hold Spring Valley Man, Suspect in String of Robberies, Including El Cajon Gas Station

Jul 27, 2023

A Spring Valley man has been arrested in a series of armed robberies around San Diego County, the El Cajon Police Department said Saturday.

At 9 p.m. Friday, police received a call about an armed robbery at the Speedway Gas, 700 Avocado Ave. in El Cajon. An undetermined amount of cash was taken from the register, but no employees were injured, police said.

A detective was alerted by a new camera system that the suspect’s vehicle was headed toward Spring Valley, police said. With the help of a San Diego County Sheriff’s Department helicopter, authorities found the suspect and took him into custody.

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Officers viewed surveillance footage of the robbery and confirmed the suspect’s description matched the that of the person responsible for a series of armed robberies around the county, police said.

Derrick Moore, 29, was booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of robbery. Authorities said detectives obtained a full confession from Moore.

El Cajon police have implemented an automated license plate reading program, which assisted in the case, they said. Cameras send a real-time crime alert to law enforcement when a stolen or known-wanted vehicle is detected.

Authorities asked anyone with information regarding the alleged robbery to contact the El Cajon Police Department at 619 579-3311 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

– City News Service

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