SAN DIEGO : Transient Arrested in Crime Rampage

A 24-year-old transient, believed to have kidnaped a woman, stolen at least one car and burglarized two apartments in Normal Heights over two days, was arrested Tuesday, San Diego police said.

The two-day crime wave started Monday when a woman was robbed of her yellow convertible on 38th Street by a bandit who apparently stuck his hand in his pocket to simulate that he had a gun, police spokesman Bill Robinson said.

On Tuesday, another woman was approached by the same man, police said. He threatened her with a screwdriver and forced her back into her car parked in the 4100 block of 34th Street, Robinson said. After driving a block, he ordered her out of the car and drove away.

The robber then used the woman’s keys to burglarize her apartment, Robinson said. He tried to sell her property to some of her neighbors and forced his way into another woman’s apartment.

After taking $22 from the woman and forcing her to make him a tuna sandwich, the thief stole her computer keyboard and a stereo radio, Robinson said. He was in the process of trying to sell the stolen goods when police arrived and chased the man to the 3800 block of 35th Street.

Arrested at the scene was Maurice Ray Woods of Kansas City, Mo., Robinson said. Woods was being held without bail on suspicion of kidnaping in the course of a robbery, attempted robbery, three counts of robbery, unlawful taking of a vehicle, two counts of second-degree burglary, kidnaping, false imprisonment and battery on a person without injury.