54-Year-Old Man Arrested in ARCO Robbery After Being Linked Via DNA

DNA samples from a sweater have helped La Mesa police connect a 54-year-old man already in jail on burglary charges with a March 18 robbery at the ARCO station store at 9600 Murray Dr., authorities said.

Danny Coffield Perry was arrested and rebooked Wednesday by La Mesa police detectives, said police Lt. Dan Willis.

During the 3:35 a.m. robbery in March, a man entered the ARCO store and robbed the clerk by simulating a handgun in his jacket pocket, Willis said.  The suspect threatened to shoot the clerk.  No one was injured.

Perry is suspected of committed other robberies in surrounding areas, Willis said. 

“During one of the robberies, the suspect discarded his sweater into a trash dumpster,” he said in a press release.  “Officers collected the sweater and it was later tested for DNA.  The suspect’s DNA samples collected from the discarded sweater were entered into the California CODIS (DNA bank) computer system, but there were no hits.”

On July 21, Perry was arrested for unrelated burglary charges in San Diego. 

“As is customary, DNA samples were obtained from Perry at the time he was booked into jail," Willis said.  “Perry’s DNA sample was subsequently matched to the DNA obtained from the suspect’s sweater in the La Mesa robbery.”

Perry was booked for one charge of 211 P.C., robbery.

According to jail records, Perry had been held on no bail and was slated for release Nov. 18 from the George Bailey Detention Facility in San Diego.

In March, the robber was pegged as being about 70 years old in the Friday morning incident near Grossmont High School.

In addition to being about 70, the robber was described as white, 5 feet 7 inches tall and 160 pounds, with short gray hair and a gray mustache. He wore a black baseball cap with the letters USA on the front and a tan jacket, police said.