A 21-year-old man was robbed Saturday night at Collier Park south of The Village but was able to recover all his property, including a cell phone, after police found two suspects in the attack nearby, authorities said.
According to La Mesa police, officers responded to a robbery report at 7:40 p.m. at Collier Park, 4401 Palm Ave.
The victim told police he was sitting on a park bench when he was approached by a group of males.
“The two suspects separated themselves from the group and approached the victim,” police said in a news release. “Suspect #1 sat down next to the victim and demanded that the victim give up his backpack. When the victim refused, the suspect attempted to take the backpack. The suspect and victim pulled back and forth on the backpack, but the victim was able to retain his property.”
When the victim attempted to leave the park with his bicycle, a second assailant told the victim to give him his cell phone, police said.
“Suspect #2 then grabbed hold of the victim’s bicycle and pulled it away from the victim. Suspect #2 then threatened to beat up the victim if he did not leave the park. The victim left the park and called the police from his home.”
Officers responding to the robbery found a group of men a short distance away from the park. The victim identified the two suspects as the ones who robbed him.
The suspects were booked into San Diego County Jail on the charge of robbery. The victim was not injured during the robbery and all of his property was recovered.
The suspects were identified as John Allen Bass, a 24-year-old La Mesa transient, and Jamar Brown, a 24-year-old La Mesa transient.
Jail records indicate they are no longer in custody.
