Witnesses Spot License Plate; Suspect Seized
Alert witnesses at the scene of a Santa Ana shoe store robbery got the license plate number of an escaping suspect, and the number led to the arrest of the suspect by Irvine police about an hour later, Santa Ana police reported Monday night.
Santa Ana Lt. Robert Helton said the robbery took place about 3:10 p.m. Monday at the Payless Shoesource, 1268 East 17th St. A man indicated he had a gun and demanded cash froma sales clerk, Helton said. The man then fled with about $200, but witnesses jotted down his license number.
The car was registered to a man in Irvine, and police later learned that the owner had loaned the car to another man. Irvine police were notified, and they went to the Irvine man’s home, where they arrested the robbery suspect without incident, Helton said.
The suspect, Ruiz J. Proa, 23, of Santa Ana, was booked into the Orange County Jail on suspicion of armed robbery. Helton said a sum of money and a loaded handgun were recovered by Irvine police during the arrest.
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