'Dare Me' Bandit Pleads Guilty to Robbery Charges in La Mesa, San Diego

One of two men charged in the so-called "Dare Me Bandit" series of robberies at businesses throughout La Mesa and San Diego last summer pleaded guilty Friday to 13 robbery charges and one count of attempted robbery.

Alex Sanchez, 24, was arrested last October. He faces up to 28 years in prison when he is sentenced on July 15 by Judge Eugenia Eyherabide.

A second suspect, 25-year-old Luis A. Cruz, faces trial in July on charges of robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Cruz was arrested on Sept. 24 by La Mesa police on suspicion of robbing a liquor store. La Mesa police shared information about the case with San Diego investigators, who determined that the man was allegedly connected to the "Dare Me Bandit" series, according to San Diego police Lt. Andra Brown.

The robberies, all carried out at gunpoint, occurred at a dozen businesses in San Diego and at least five others in San Diego County between July 22 and Sept. 24, according to Brown. The targeted businesses were generally convenience stores and fast-food restaurants.

The "Dare Me Bandit" moniker stemmed from the way the robber walked into businesses with a firearm already out, making his intentions clear. In at least one case, he fired into a wall just to prove the firearm was real, police said.

–City News Service