Authorities arrested two men late Sunday night on suspicion of being involved in robberies in Santa Barbara and Isla Vista.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, at about 11 p.m. on April 7, a UCSB police sergeant spotted a vehicle driving without lights in the 6700 block of Sabado Tarde in Isla Vista. The driver reportedly did not have any identification on him and the sergeant said there was a strong smell of marijuana coming from the vehicle.
Sheriff’s officials arrived to assist and reportedly recognized the vehicle as being associated with a robbery that Saturday night in Santa Barbara.
While authorities were investigating, sheriff’s officials say two people approached deputies at the scene and told them that they had also just been robbed in Isla Vista. One of the victims reportedly had been pistol-whipped and was bleeding from a cut above his eye.
Authorities say the two people in the car, identified as Elijah Francis, 20, of Santa Cruz and Devosia Harper, 18, of Stockton, are the suspects in both robberies.
Sheriff’s officials say a search of their vehicle also found a brick of cocaine, approximately five pounds of marijuana with packaging, Xanax pills, and a gun.
The two men reportedly told authorities they were in town for Deltopia, an unsanctioned street party in Isla Vista that was held on Saturday.
Francis and Harper were arrested on suspicion of robbery, attempted robbery, conspiracy, possession of a loaded firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Harper is also suspected of assault with a deadly weapon.
