Two armed men suspected in three back-to-back robberies in Chula Vista were arrested on Interstate 805 in National City Wednesday.

The 21-year-old and 22-year-old men are accused of stealing cellphones and baseball caps from the victims, whose ages range from 13 to about 18. In each case, one of the thieves displayed a gun tucked in his waistband, Chula Vista police Capt. Vern Sallee told reporters along I-805 following the arrests.

“It’s an extraordinarily serious incident,” Sallee said. “Whats even more egregious and outrageous is the fact that these were children that these young adult males were robbing.”

The first victim, a 13-year-old boy, was knocked unconscious by the men who stole his baseball cap at Hilltop Park, Sallee said. The boy’s mother called 911 about 3:30 p.m. to report the robbery. He was taken to a hospital, and an update on his condition was unavailable.


Police said the same two men then stole a cellphone and baseball cap from a 13-year-old girl and her 14-year-old brother on the opposite side of the Hilltop Drive park. The thieves got into a white Kia hatchback and left.

Soon after, the robbers took an iPhone from a third victim, who is about 18 years old, on Jefferson Avenue near J Street, Sallee said.

No one was hurt during the last two robberies.

Not long after, an undercover officer near Sweetwater Road spotted a white Kia hatchback with paper license plates. The officer followed the vehicle and called for more officers.


They caught up to the suspects on northbound Interstate 805. Officers activated their lights to stop the driver, who immediately pulled over near East Plaza Boulevard.

As the driver stopped, his passenger got out and tried to run, but he accidentally fired a revolver in his waistband. A round made a hole in his pants and a BB gun he had, Vern said. The two guns were seized.

Both men in the car were taken into custody without a struggle. Vern said the vehicle was registered to one of the suspects.


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