Perris Man Arrested for Robbery of Menifee Coin Shop

Ed's Coins in the Cherry Hills Plaza was the scene of a robbery Wednesday afternoon. The suspect is in custody. Menifee 24/7 photo: Doug Spoon

Story updated to correct spelling of Roberta Derilo and to clarify details about the gun being fired at the car.

A Perris man was arrested for robbery and assault Wednesday after fleeing a Menifee gold shop with two stolen coins as a shop employee fired a gun at the car in an attempt to disable the getaway vehicle.

Joshua Nash, 23, of Perris was taken into custody a short distance from the scene of the robbery, which occurred in the 28000 block of Bradley Road in the Cherry Hills Plaza shopping center, said Deputy Mike Vasquez of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Nash was booked into Robert Presley Detention Center on charges of second degree robbery and assault, both felonies.

According to court records, Nash is being held on $30,000 bail. He is described as a black male, 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds. No booking photo has been released. Nash will appear in court on Monday, according to his booking records.

Deputies responded to the report of an attempted robbery at 12:51 p.m. Wednesday, Vasquez said. He confirmed that shots were fired at the location but no one was injured. The investigation is ongoing.

Ed Bowen, owner of Ed's Coins, confirmed that his business was the scene of the robbery. Bowen told Menifee 24/7 today that a young man came into the shop and asked to see gold coins. According to Bowen, his daughter, Roberta Derilo, brought out two gold coins. The man then ran out with the coins, which Bowen estimated are worth about $2,000.

Bowen said his daughter chased the suspect and attempted to detain him as he entered his car. Bowen also entered the struggle, receiving bruises in the altercation. According to Bowen, the suspect was able to escape their grasp and drive out of the parking lot toward Bradley Road.

Before the suspect drove away, Derilo said she fired a gun she had retrieved from the shop at the vehicle.

"I wasn't attempting to fire at him," Derilo said. "I was firing at the tire. It flattened it but he still drove away."

Durilo said that although people came out of adjoining businesses after hearing the shots, no one was in the line of fire as she fired multiple shots.

"I wasn't worried about hitting anybody because nobody was in my range," said Durilo, who said she has never before had to use a gun at the business, which the family has operated for 10 years. "Yes, I was concerned about people in the area, though. I made a point of firing down low at the tire in the direction of a building. I was on the far left side of the vehicle and the building was behind the vehicle."

Bowen said his business has been broken into several times, but this is the first time employees have been robbed during business hours.