Thief Tackles, Punches Store Clerk in Murrieta: Police

Murrieta, CA – A Temecula man is accused of stealing from a Murrieta gas station, and then attacking a store clerk who confronted him to pay for the items, police said Tuesday.

According to Murrieta Police Lt. Ron Driscoll, the incident happened on July 4, at the Shell Gas Station at 40452 Murrieta Hot Springs Road.

"...investigation by patrol officers revealed a male customer entered the store, took several items from display, and left the business without paying," Driscoll said in a news release. "An employee followed the theft suspect outside and confronted him."

It was then that the alleged thief– later identified as Steffan Osegueda– tackled and punched the store clerk "several" times in the face, according to Driscoll.

Osegueda then allegedly took off in a vehicle. The clerk had to be treated at a hospital for minor injuries.

Two days later, after Osegueda had been pegged as the suspect by investigators, Murrieta police located him on Calle Colina in Temecula, according to police. He was arrested on charges of second degree robbery and violating probation.

Jail records indicate Osegueda remained locked up at the Southwest Detention Center as of Tuesday in lieu of $30,000 bail.

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(Image courtesy of the Murrieta Police Department)