VISTA — Two suspected thieves were arrested this week after allegedly robbing and assaulting a man while holding him at gunpoint at a Vista motel, authorities said. Eder Rodriguez, 27, and 31-year-old Fernando Ramirez were taken into custody Monday afternoon on suspicion of carrying out the late-morning violent robbery at Vista Inn, 745 W. Vista Way, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies responding to a report of a robbery at the motel shortly before noon contacted a man who reported that a pair of thieves had robbed him, with one pointing a handgun at him while the other punched him, sheriff’s Sgt. Austin Smith said. After stealing valuables from the victim, the perpetrators fled, one behind the wheel of a silver Toyota Camry and the other driving a red Ducati, Smith said. Searching the area, sheriff’s personnel found both vehicles parked outside a mobile home in the 200 block of Olive Avenue, about a mile northeast of the motel.
“After deputies made several announcements for the (suspects) to come out (of the residence), they complied without incident,” the sergeant said.
A search of the mobile home turned up a loaded 9mm ghost gun, illegal narcotics, drug paraphernalia, personal items belonging to the robbery victim and evidence suggesting that the suspects might have been involved in identity theft, according to sheriff’s officials. Ramirez and Rodriguez were booked into county jail in Vista on suspicion of robbery, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal conspiracy to commit crime and attempting to prevent a person from reporting a crime.
