Deputies conducted an extensive search on Saturday for a man who reportedly assaulted and attempted to rob a woman near Haskell’s Beach in western Goleta, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Shortly after 8 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the bluffs in the area of the 8300 block of Hollister Avenue on a report of an attempted theft that had just occurred, said Raquel Zick, sheriff’s public information officer.
“The victim reported that a male subject had punched her several times while trying to steal her property,” Zick said. “The victim had multiple injuries but declined emergency medical attention.”
Deputies established a perimeter and brought in a K-9 unit to help with the search for the assailant, who was described as a white male adult, 6-foot-2 with a thin build, long blond hair, blue eyes, and wearing a light blue T-shirt and gray shorts.
A notification was sent to area residents with the suspect’s description while deputies and K-9 units spent more than two hours searching for him, Zick said.
By the afternoon, the suspect remained at large and was last seen in the bluffs area of Santa Barbara Shores, Zick said.
Shortly before 5 p.m., UCSB Police officers located the suspect near Anisq’Oyo Park in Isla Vista.
Loren Allen, 44, of Goleta was arrested and booked into County Jail on suspicion of attempted robbery and battery, both felonies, Zick said.
He was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.