Accused Serial Robber Who Police Say Hits Over A Dozen Orange County Stores Arrested
SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — A heroine addict, who robbed more than a dozen stores across Orange County, has been arrested, police said.
Hector Ibarra, 29, brought along his six-month-old baby in a stroller when he robbed a CVS store in Santa Ana, according to Santa Ana police detectives.
A security video showed the suspect pushed a clerk when confronted. He was also seen in a parking lot running away with what appeared to be a young girl while pushing the stroller.
At a TJ Max store in Tustin, surveillance cameras caught the convicted felon loading up item after item in a shopping cart while talking on the phone.
Then he pushed the cart right out of the back door and got away, investigators said.
At another TJ Max, the accused serial robber was seen walking through the isles, grabbing goods and running out the front door.
In an eight-month period, Ibarra stole thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, including wallets, designer handbags, baby clothes, bottles of perfume and a lot more, police said.
Other stores that were hit included Marshalls, Nordstrom Rack, Off Broadway Shoes and similar big-box chains.
Detectives said Ibarra robbed more than a dozen stores in Costa Mesa, Tustin, Santa Ana and Anaheim.
In one incident, he used a fake gun to pistol-whip a clerk. He even cocked the replica like it was real to intimidate those who tried to stop him.
Police said he did all that to support his heroine habit - a drug they said he not only used, but sold.
Ibarra is being held on $300,000 bail.
