Jewelry store robbery suspect in custody

One of three suspects who stole an estimated $600,000 worth of jewelry at gunpoint from a Laguna Beach shop on Aug. 25 has been arrested in Oceanside, and police have identified the other two suspects, according to Laguna Beach police.

Alonso Jose Lopez, 31, of Vista, was tracked by police to an apartment in Oceanside, where he was seen getting into a vehicle at 3:15 p.m. Aug. 27, Lt. Jason Kravetz said. Lopez, who allegedly sped off, was pursued by Laguna Beach and Oceanside police officers to an agricultural area in that city, where a dog tracked him to a shed and he was taken into custody.

Police had zeroed in on the home after locating the owner of the white Ford Fusion the suspects used to escape after the robbery. The owner, a woman in northern San Diego County, initially claimed not to know who had the vehicle, Kravetz said.

Inside the car, abandoned in Aliso Viejo, investigators found two empty gun holsters and ammunition, in addition to clothing and a small amount of jewelry.

The identities of the other two suspects are not being released. The jewelry, stolen from Baca on Forest Avenue, has not been recovered.

Lopez, described by the Orange County District Attorney as a second-striker gang member, has been charged with one felony count each of second degree robbery, second degree commercial burglary, and street terrorism with sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity and the vicarious use of a firearm by a gang member.

Lopez has sentencing enhancements for a prior 1998 strike for forcible kidnapping, and two prison priors for a 1997 evading the police and the same 1998 kidnapping conviction, according to the district attorney’s office. If convicted on all charges, Lopez faces a maximum sentence of 21 years in state prison. Lopez is being held on $500,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 31, in Department H-1, Harbor Justice Center, Newport Beach.