A gunman suspected in robberies around San Diego, La Mesa, National City and Chula Vista was arrested yesterday after a holdup in Del Mar Heights, San Diego police said.
A small, thin man with tattoos on his arms and head held up a Longs drugstore on Del Mar Heights Road shortly before 10 a.m.
Detectives followed leads to a house on Ramfos Lane in Bay Terraces about 6:40 p.m.
Nicholas English, 26, a parolee, was arrested on suspicion of robbery, and a handgun was confiscated at the house.
English is believed to have robbed a Carl's Jr. restaurant in San Ysidro of $360 Tuesday afternoon and an Old Navy store in Mission Valley on Friday, robbery unit Sgt. Bob Cruz said.
La Mesa police said they suspect English in a $150 holdup at a Massachusetts Avenue Arco gasoline station at about 2 a.m. yesterday. Cruz said English also is being investigated for holdups this week in Chula Vista and National City.
– Pauline Repard