A suspect has been arrested in two local robberies.
The first occurred Tuesday at Brownies Market, 435 De La Vina St., and the second robbery happened Wednesday at Victoria Market, 1235 Olive St.
In both robberies, the suspect brandished a knife. In the second robbery, a witness got the license plate number of the suspect’s vehicle. A records check on the plate revealed that the vehicle was a 1994 Ford registered to a local resident.
Santa Barbara police officers found the vehicle on Thursday parked in the parking lot of Longs Drug Store, 2973 State St. Mark Cameron Mansfield, 42, and Deirdre Merrick, 39, were detained for further investigation.
During the initial contact with Mansfield and Merrick, officers saw drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle. A search revealed several hypodermic syringes and controlled substance paraphernalia. Officers continued their investigation and identified Mansfield as the suspect of both robberies.
Merrick was cited for possession of a hypodermic syringe and released at the scene. Mansfield was transported to the Santa Barbara County Jail and booked on two counts of robbery, possession of a hypodermic syringe and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia.
Lorenzo Duarte is a sergeant with the Santa Barbara Police Department.