Captured: Toy Gun Bandit

The “Toy Gun Bandit,” who has been robbing small businesses in the Mira Mesa area for the past five weeks, struck again on Friday, May 23.

He entered the am/pm store on Black Mountain Road at about 1:15 a.m., showed the lone clerk on duty his gun, and demanded she open the register. The clerk, a veteran of two past robberies, complied quickly with the robber’s demands. As soon as he left she called police.

Local law enforcement, expecting the thief might strike again, had added extra patrols to the area. Upon receiving the call, police in the vicinity were alerted and the robber was captured within 20 minutes of the call.

For his efforts, the robber got 61 dollars, 6 packs of cigarettes, and perhaps 20 years in jail.