Crime & Safety

Update: Suspect in Carl's Jr. Robbery Once Worked at That Fast-Food Outlet

Marengo Avenue apartment of Antonio Terrell Arnold was raided by detectives after latest holdup.

Updated at 1 p.m. Monday

Breaking: A suspect in Sunday night's armed robbery of the Carl's Jr. on Parkway Drive was a former employee of the fast-food restaurant who knew where the safe was and watched a family finish their meal before the crime, says a former co-worker who lives in the same apartment complex as suspect Antonio Terrell Arnold—across Marengo Avenue from Carl's Jr. Details in this story.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

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La Mesa police detectives searched the Marengo Avenue apartment of Antonio Terrell Arnold within hours after he and a San Diego man were arrested in connection with a Carl’s Jr. robbery blocks from Arnold’s home, authorities said.

Police Lt. Dan Willis said Monday morning that “one suspect lives in the 5600 block of Marengo Avenue. The other lives in San Diego. Detectives were called out last night and executed a search warrant at the suspect’s residence on Marengo.”

An online search confirmed that Arnold lives on Marengo—about a third of a mile north of the Carl’s Jr. on Parkway Drive.
 
“Detectives are looking into whether these suspects are responsible for the Starbucks robbery last week,” Willis said. “That investigation is continuing. They are also working with detectives from other agencies to see if these suspects are responsible for robberies in their jurisdictions.”

Willis said some of the reported $975 taken at gunpoint from the fast-food outlet was recovered. He also said any gang connection “is unknown at this time.”

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La Mesa police arrested the men Sunday night after the latest in a series of armed robberies—the holdup of Carl's Jr. that led to a slow-speed pursuit on Interstate 8.

The suspects were identified as:

  • Arnold, 31, who was booked into San Diego County Jail at 4:23 a.m. Monday on four charges, including false imprisonment with violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jail records say he is 6 feet 1, 155 pounds. Court records (attached) show three criminal cases dating to 1998, with the latest in December 2009.
  • Mario Deangelo Townsend, 30, who was booked at 4:24 a.m. on three charges. Jail records say he turns 31 on Nov. 27 and is 5 feet 10 inches and 145 pounds.

Both were booked on charges of armed robbery and are being held on $100,000 bail with arraignment scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in El Cajon Superior Court.

Police Sgt. Ted Fenn said a La Mesa police officer, alone in his patrol car monitoring a nearby intersection, spotted suspects matching witness descriptions in a late-model Buick.

At 9:01 p.m.—20 minutes after a 911 call about the robbery—he followed the car on the Lake Murray Boulevard onramp to I-8 headed west into San Diego.

The young male officer directed the Buick to pull over, and its driver slowed but didn’t stop. Eventually the mint-green Buick took the Waring Road offramp and stopped several blocks down Adobe Falls Road, next to a wide grassy ravine.

“As the vehicle came to a stop, the officer saw one of the passengers throw a handgun from the vehicle,” Fenn said. “Both subjects were identified by one of the witnesses from the restaurant robbery. Both suspects were arrested without further incident. There were no injuries.”

The handgun was tossed into the ravine, and was marked with an orange cone. Yellow police tape cordoned off a wide swath around the weapon.

Five witnesses to the Carl's Jr. robbery at Parkway Drive and Marengo Avenue were quizzed as well Sunday night, Fenn said.

Several employees were taken in police cars and driven away, a witness said.
 
Police cars blocked traffic on the western entrance to Adobe Falls Road for about an hour, ending about 10:15 p.m. San Diego police provided backup help, and the Sheriff’s Department’s ASTREA helicopter also was employed.

La Mesa had 10 armed robberies or attempted robberies of retail stores in October, leading to a crime forum held by Police Chief Ed Aceves and others.

Late Sunday night, Fenn said he didn’t know whether the pair arrested and being held at the La Mesa Police Station for questioning were suspects in earlier holdups.

An employee of the Carl’s Jr. at 8110 Parkway Dr. had called 911 at 8:41 p.m. to report that two male adults had just robbed the business at gunpoint, ordering the employees to the ground, Fenn said.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that $975 in cash was taken from the Carl's Jr. The gunmen fled the business on foot.

Anyone with information on this case or others is asked to call the La Mesa Police Department at 619-667-1400.

You also may call Crime Stoppers’ anonymous toll-free tip line 888-580-TIPS (or sdcrimestoppers.com). You can remain anonymous, and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case.


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