SPRING VALLEY (CNS) — An armed robbery suspect who allegedly stole a horse in Spring Valley was arrested Monday morning after an hours-long standoff, authorities said.
Deputies responded to an armed robbery call in the 2300 block of Bancroft Drive at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, where the victim reported that the suspect pointed a firearm at him and had stolen his horse, according to Sgt. David Leonhardi of the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.
"Deputies located the suspect a short distance away from the location. Upon contact, the suspect ran away with the stolen horse," Leonhardi said, adding that aerial support assisted deputies by following the suspect as he fled into a nearby residence.
Due to the high-risk nature of the operation, the sheriff's Special Enforcement Detail and Crisis Negotiations Team also responded.
At about 3:30 a.m. Monday, the suspect came out of the residence and was arrested. He was identified as 29-year-old Gabriel De La Torre Santana and was booked into the San Diego Central Jail.
De La Torre is scheduled for arraignment on Thursday in El Cajon Superior Court.
The stolen horse was recovered and returned to the owner, Leonhardi said.
Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc.
