Auto Theft Suspect Arrested After Attempted Robbery

A Hemet man was arrested in Menifee Thursday on suspicion of attempted armed robbery, burglary and three counts of auto theft, police said.

Fabian Lloyd Alvarado, 28, was taken into custody after a foot pursuit in a neighborhood north of the intersection of Newport Road and Menifee Road, where he had abandoned a stolen vehicle and attempted to steal a second vehicle. The gas station at Newport and Menifee was surrounded by patrol cars as officers located the stolen vehicle and attempted to find the suspect.

The incident began at 12:04 p.m. when Sheriff's deputies responded to a "man with a gun" call at a business located in the 26900 block of Newport Road, at the intersection of Bradley Road. According to witnesses, an attempted burglary took place at a gas station there. Officers were told the suspect fled in a gray Kia sedan south on Bradley Road. It was later determined the vehicle had been stolen that morning in Hemet.

About an hour later, officers located the vehicle abandoned near Newport Road and Menifee Road with a weapon left inside it. According to police, the suspect walked to a nearby business, identified by witnesses as the Arco AM/PM, where he attempted to steal a second vehicle. As officers arrived, the suspect fled on foot before being captured a short time later.

An investigation revealed that Alvarado had several outstanding felony warrants and was also responsible for numerous auto thefts in the Menifee area. He is being held at Southwest Detention center on $1 million bail.

Anyone with information on this investigation is encouraged to call Sergeant Douglas at the Perris Sheriff’s Station, 951-210-1000.