HOLLISTER — A San Leandro man was arrested in Hollister after an attempted robbery at Lucky’s on 294 McCray. 50-year-old John David Abeyta allegedly accosted customers and was arrested on charges of battery with bodily injury, burglary, false imprisonment, and making criminal threats.
On Tuesday at around 12 PM, Abeyta walked into the story and began yelling at the store manager to get on the ground. Witnesses claim that while he was shouting, he kept tugging at his jacket as if to indicate he was armed.
Abeyta then struck the store manager in the head several times, in addition to threatening other patrons. He then approached a store associate and commanded her to go with him or he would kill her. She managed to keep her distance while another employee arrived to check on the manager.
Another associate ordered Abeyta to leave and said the police had been called. Abeyta left after a few minutes, but soon found police on his heels after a responding officer advised that the suspect had just left and was heading south.
The officer then spotted Abeyta by the store and tried to talk to him. All the while, Abeyta continued to move his hand in and out of his open jacket, simulating a concealed weapon. The officer then ordered him to show his hands and Abeyta complied. He was not armed.
He was then taken into custody without further incident.
