Public Safety

Social Media Tip Leads to Arrest of ATM Robbery Suspect

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A suspect in three ATM robberies in Santee is now in custody, and the Sheriff’s Department is crediting an alert citizen and the power of social media.

Looking for the public’s help, the department posted a surveillance image of the suspect on the Sheriff’s Facebook page. A woman who saw the post contacted the department and told deputies she had previously seen the man outside a restaurant offering repairs on cars. He gave his name and number to the woman.

With her help, detectives set up a meeting with the suspect. They took George Adams, 23, into custody in the 9600 block of Mission Gorge Road Wednesday afternoon. He was wearing the same cap and driving the same car seen in the surveillance photos.

Adams was booked on four counts of robbery and is being held on $400,000 bail.

The Sheriff’s Department calls the case an example of how important community partnership is in solving cases and putting criminals behind bars. You’re encouraged to follow the department on Facebook, Twitter or with the Nixle alert system.