Suspected ‘Soda Jerk Bandit’ arrested

Deepa Bharath

COSTA MESA -- Police on Wednesday arrested a 31-year-old Irvine man

believed to be the so-called “Soda Jerk” or “Dr. Pepper Bandit” allegedly

responsible for robbing 13 convenience stores throughout the county,

officials said.

Officers arrested Marc Allen Lewis around 9 a.m. near his apartment in

the 100 block of Tangelo in Irvine. The Costa Mesa and Irvine police

departments, working together in a stakeout outside Lewis’ apartment

complex, waited for him to come out after receiving a tip from a “citizen

contact,” officials said.

Lewis was stopped by police as he drove away from the area. Officials

said he was “positively identified” when he emerged from his apartment.

Lewis did not resist and was arrested without incident, police said.

The arrest came barely a day after Costa Mesa police released a video of

the suspect for television broadcast.

Officers found evidence in Lewis’ vehicle that linked him to the

robberies, Costa Mesa Police Lt. John FitzPatrick said. He declined to

comment further on the nature of the evidence found.

The alleged bandit’s mode of operation was identical every time he

struck. He would enter a store, pick up a bag of chips, a bottle of Dr.

Pepper and take the items to the register, thus the nickname given the

suspect by police.

When the clerk rang up the sale, the bandit would demand money while

brandishing a blue steel semiautomatic handgun.

He is suspected to have robbed stores in seven Orange County cities,

including three heists in Costa Mesa, since August.

FitzPatrick said the department is happy with the arrest because

officers believed the suspect was becoming bolder with each robbery he

committed.

“He seemed to be disguised in the first few incidents,” he said. “But

as it went on, he didn’t seem to care.”

There was also the concern that he might resort to violence as time

went by, said Costa Mesa Police Chief David Snowden.

“He was armed,” he said. “And you always have to assume that an armed

suspect could get violent.”

Snowden lauded the community for supporting the department and calling

in with tips and information.

Store clerks in local liquor stores also expressed relief Wednesday

following the arrest.

“I feel very good,” said Yong Kim, who works at Powers Liquors on

Victoria Street. “He’s a bad person. ... takes money from others. I’m

very happy.”

The clerk at Hilgrens Liquor on East 17th Street, the store that was

robbed Monday, declined to comment on the arrest.

Lewis is being held in Costa Mesa jail with bail set at $50,000. He is

scheduled to be arraigned today.