November 8, 2010 (San Diego) -- The FBI and San Diego Police Department seekthe public’s assistance to identify a man responsible for robbing the Chase Bank at 6116 Mission Gorge Road, San Diego, on Saturday, November 6th at 3 p.m. The robber made a verbal demand for money in a soft but intense tone of voice, according to FBI special agent Darrell Foxworth. At one point during he stated “don’t mess with me.” The teller provided the robber a sum of money and he left on foot.

November 6, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Before you head out for some holiday cheer this season, the Alpine Sheriff’s Station reminds you that the cost of drinking and driving can be staggering—far more than the price of a taxicab ride home.

Editor’s note: While ECM normally only covers crimes east of I-15, because many East County students attend UCSD we are providing this information to our readers.

November 6, 2010 (San Diego) -- San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit detectives have arrested Julio Angel Garcia-Puente for the murder of a woman whose body was found in a burning vehicle at a University of California San Diego parking lot on October 29 at 9:20 p.m. An autopsy revealed that the victim was murdered.

Thief may drive a beige Mitsubishi sedan

November 6, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) --The FBI and San Diego Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify a man believed responsible for robbing three San Diego banks within the last month. The latest robbery was the Wells Fargo Bank, located at 5624 Mission Center Road on Tuesday, November 2. The same robber is also suspected of bank robberies in the College and Mission Gorge areas, according to special agent Darrell Foxworth with the FBI’s San Diego office.

Rolando residents to be reimbursed for doors broken down in house-to-house search

November 3, 2010 (La Mesa) -- The FBI is announcing the arrests of two U.S. Marines, Dominique Dontae Lasker, 26 and Davon Jacques Darden, 23, of San Diego for robbery of the California Coast Credit Unionat  8002 La Mesa Boulevard, La Mesa, on October 30th. The suspects, one armed with a handgun, entered the credit union wearing masks, the FBI reports. The men jumped over the teller counter and robbed multiple tellers at gunpoint.

November 1, 2010 (La Mesa)--The FBI and San Diego Sheriff’s Department announce the arrests of Christopher James Cuerden, age 26, and Caleb Gene Halcomb, age 20, as a result of the investigation into the robbery of the US Bank, located inside of the Vons grocery store at 3681 Avocado Boulevard in the unincorporated area of La Mesa on Friday, October 29, 2010.

Update October 31, 10:20 a.m. -- The SWAT action has ended and a second suspect was taken into custody half an hour ago, Sgt. Randy Levitt has informed East County Magazine. The suspect's name and details of the arrest have not yet been released.

Exclusive! View our video of the SWAT team arriving on scene.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Dennis Richardson

October 30, 2010 8:35 p.m.  (La Mesa) -- A stand-off continues tonight as police continue searching for a bank robbery suspect believed to be hiding in the Rolando neighborhood.  A second suspect, Davan Darden, 23, was arrested at 5:45 this evening.  The area remains evacuated, according to Officer Stafford, San Diego Police.

Two robbers conducted a takeover-style robbery at the California Coast Credit Union in the Vons Center on La Mesa Boulevard around 2 p.m., San Diego Police report, prompting a chase through San Diego, La Mesa and El Cajon.

Editor's note: Although UCSD is not in East County, since many East County students attend the university we are publishing this information for our readers.

Update November 1, 2010:  The San Diego Medical Examiner's office has found that the baby was stillborn and that no homicide occured.  The mother, who is mentally disabled, may not have been aware that she was pregnant and her family attempted to hide the body of the baby after she gave birth, authorities report.

October 29, 2010 (El Cajon) – The body of a full-term baby boy was found in a plastic bag in a backyard storage shed last night at 6:30 p.m. A woman resident found the bag while walking her dog in the backyard of her home in the 1100 block of Flamingo Avenue in rural El Cajon, ECM news partner 10 News reports.

October 27, 2010 (El Cajon)--Just hours after announcement of the new El Cajon Tagger Tip Line on Monday, an El Cajon resident saw a group of individuals using spray paint to vandalize the rear of a business. The reporting party kept watching the suspects as he called the El Cajon Police Department. He directed officers to the location of the vandals and three juveniles were arrested.

October 26, 2010 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police seek the public’s help to locate a man who robbed the Wells Fargo Bank at 1235 Avocado in El Cajon at 2:35 p.m. today.

October 24, 2010 (San Diego) – The Arco Gas Station at 8787 Lake Murray Boulevard was robbed at gunpoint last night at 5:23 p.m., San Diego Police report.

 East County News Service

October 22, 2010 (San Diego) – San Diego Police report two incidents today involving young teens approached while walking in San Diego’s eastern areas. At 7:55 a.m., a 14-year old walking towards Hoover High School at 4400 University Avenue in Talmdage told police that a man wearing clothing with paint on them walked up behind her and grabbed her buttocks, telling her to go with him.

Veteran Michael Foster was hero who saved Alpine woman from burning home

October 19, 2010 – Michael Foster, a U.S. Army combat veteran who barricaded himself into his home in Alpine after firing shots at his wife this morning, has been shot by S.W.A.T. team snipers, ECM news partner 10 News reports.