Fast-Food Eatery Robbery Suspect Arrested; 2 at Large

SANTA ANA —  A man police believe is a former Taco Bell employee has been arrested on suspicion of committing a string of early-morning robberies at fast-food restaurants in Tustin and Irvine, including two Taco Bell restaurants.

Jesus Bravo Jimenez, 28, was arrested at an apartment building in the 1100 block of Santa Ana Boulevard in Santa Ana at about 3:15 p.m. Thursday, Irvine Police Investigator Pete Linton said Friday.

Police are still looking for two accomplices.

In the robbery on April 30, three men walked into the Taco Bell restaurant at 17th and Yorba streets in Tustin at 6 a.m. They forced the manager at gunpoint to empty the safe of $3,000.

The second robbery was at 6 a.m. at the Taco Bell restaurant at 2222 Barranca Parkway in Irvine on May 7, Linton said. Three men forced the manager at gunpoint to open the cash registers, from which they stole $583, Linton said. One robber then fired his weapon once into the ground and threatened to return to kill the manager.

A restaurant employee told police he recognized one of the robbers as a former Taco Bell employee.

Police also allege Jimenez was part of a third robbery at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Carl’s Jr. restaurant at 4770 Irvine Blvd. in Irvine. Three men held up the manager and employees and took $1,165 from the cash registers, Linton said.

Linton said Jimenez was also wanted on a $25,000 warrant in connection with a strong-arm robbery in 1993 in Santa Ana.