ECPD: Calexico man arrested in attempted ‘smash and grab’ robbery
Police say suspect used crow bar to shatter a number of glass cases
EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The El Centro Police Department (ECPD) says officers took a man into custody Tuesday after an attempted smash and grab robbery at the Imperial Valley Mall.
Witnesses say a man entered a business, threatened workers with a crowbar, and demanded money. They say the man then used the metal bar to shatter several display cases and remove the jewelry inside.
Officers say they arrived to find the suspect standing near the display cases still armed with the crowbar. They say he complied with their order to drop the weapon, and they took him into custody without incident. Police say they recovered all the stolen items and returned them to the store.
No one got hurt during the incident.
The suspect is a 33-year-old man from Calexico. Per our editorial policy, KYMA.com will not release his identity until he is formally charged. He remains in the Imperial County Jail facing robbery charges.