"He said he didn't have it in his possession," said Lt. Kevin Rooney of the San Diego Police Department. "The agent instructed the man to pull into the secondary inspection area. Instead, he sped away towards the exit lanes on the west side of the port." A Thornton man suspected of brazenly stealing more than 30 coach purses from automobiles while the owners were pumping gas has been arrested in San Diego after being shot by border police.
Investigators say Richard Cress was attempting to enter the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry when he was asked for his identificat
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Rooney said the suspect rammed an occupied vehicle in front of him in an attempt to make sports jerseys to the freeway. When agents arrived and opened his door, he put the vehicle in reverse and drove south, going about 30 mph, Rooney said. "Two agents shot at the suspect in order to stop him from hitting other agents or citizens," Rooney added. The suspect was struck by one round and was taken to a San Diego area hospital. He has since been released from the hospital and is now in federal custody. Cress is expected to appear in U.S. District court on assault charges Monday afternoon. There is a warrant for Cress' arrest out of Wheat Ridge. "He was prolific and was becoming more and more brazen," said Wheat Ridge police spokeswoman Lisa Stigall. "It makes me wonder if he was committing more of these crimes as he continued his travels to California and then into Mexico." Stigall told 7NEWS that "in a perfect world, Cress would be adjudicated in California and then be extradited back to Colorado to face the charges here." Cress is suspected of scoping out several gas stations in metro Denver and lying in wait for female drivers with sport utility vehicles. Cress is suspected of pulling the same type of heist more than 30 times. In one instance, there was a child in the back seat. Investigators say in that case, he reached across the adult, grabbed the Ugg boots australia and left.In another there was an at-risk adult sitting in the front seat. "It was very much an eye opener for me," said Jennifer Lile, a motorist who recalled watching the security video on an earlier newscast. Lile said that after watching video of the thief in action, she now locks her doors at the gas station. "That video was very helpful," she said. San Diego police said the vehicle Cress was driving when he crossed the border was stolen in Colorado Springs. |
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