The owner of an Imperial Beach taco shop is asking the public for help identifying a man who robbed the business, hoping a fresh set of eyes can crack a case that local deputies are still working to solve. The appeal comes as the shop’s owner turns to the community to track down the suspect responsible for the theft.
The robbery was first reported by NBC 7 San Diego, which detailed the owner’s effort to identify the robber and get the word out to neighbors who might recognize him. Robbery inside an operating commercial business like a taco shop is classified under California law as second-degree robbery, a felony that can carry a state prison sentence of two, three, or five years upon conviction, according to legal guidance cited by Shouse Law Group. Because robbery is considered a violent felony, a conviction would also count as a strike under California’s Three Strikes sentencing law.
Policing in Imperial Beach is handled under contract by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s Imperial Beach Substation, according to the City of Imperial Beach. The substation, located at 845 Imperial Beach Boulevard, employs roughly 25 sworn personnel who field more than 28,000 incident calls a year across the city and nearby unincorporated South Bay communities.
Community Tips Have Cracked Cases Before
Residents with information about the taco shop case can reach out anonymously through San Diego County Crime Stoppers, which offers cash rewards of up to $1,000 for tips leading to a felony arrest, per San Diego Crime Stoppers. Tips can be submitted through the organization’s hotline or its P3 Tips app, and the program works across all San Diego County municipalities in partnership with local Sheriff’s substations…