Sleep Deprivation and Drugs Fuel Marin County Shopping Center Crime Spree, Authorities Say

By Bay City News Service

Authorities arrested a Cotati man who allegedly went on a drug-fueled crime spree at a shopping center in Marin County this Saturday, a sheriff’s deputy said.

Issa Husary, 28, was arrested on suspicion of robbery and a host of other crimes. He’s being held in county jail on a $50,000 bail, Marin County sheriff’s deputy Sgt. Jesse Klinge said.

Deputies first responded to calls from multiple victims and witnesses at 12:22 p.m. at the Strawberry Village Shopping Center on Redwood Highway Frontage Road in unincorporated Marin County, Klinge said.

Klinge said the first victim told police she was putting groceries in the back of her car when Husary allegedly grabbed her arm. The woman was able to pull away from him and went to a nearby store to call 911, Klinge said.

Husary then went over to High Tech Burrito inside the shopping
center, where Klinge said he grabbed two burritos out of a man’s hand.

Another woman told police she was sitting in her car when Husary leaned into the window and started looking around, according to Klinge.

The woman confronted him and he backed away, Klinge said. She
started driving out of the shopping center when Husary started chasing after the car.

Husary then proceeded to an area of the shopping center near Belvedere Drive, where Klinge said he grabbed at a woman’s backpack.

The woman tried to fend him off, but Husary allegedly kicked her
and stole her backpack. He ran behind some bushes, rummaged through the backpack and then discarded it, Klinge said.

Klinge said the woman was able to retrieve her property and it didn’t appear as if anything was missing.

Husary then went into The Plant Café Organic and took a brown bag filled with food out of a man’s hands.

Klinge said he wasn’t sure what Husary did with the bag after that because Mill Valley and Tiborun police quickly showed up on scene.

Husary started running away from the officers, but Klinge said he was taken into custody with the help of sheriff’s deputies.

Klinge said there were “strong indications” Husary was under the influence of “multiple narcotics.” Husary later admitted the same, Klinge said.

“He also said he had been up for a few days,” Klinge said. “The sleep deprivation makes people do weird things.” “It was a combination of all of those things,” Klinge said.

Although it’s not the “craziest” instance he’s encountered as a deputy, Klinge said it was unusual because “he committed so many crimes in a
short time period and in the same location.”

“It was certainly interesting in that respect,” Klinge said.

As of around 8 p.m., Klinge said deputies were still interviewing witnesses and victims. He said authorities would likely charge Husary with
additional crimes pending further investigation.

Shutterstock photo