Viewer tips lead to arrest in aggravated robbery

SAN ANTONIO – Tipsters who saw a suspect on surveillance photos aired on KSAT led to a man’s arrest in an aggravated robbery.

Police said 33-year-old Roland Pena was stealing clothes at a department store and pulled a knife on a loss prevention employee.

Suspicions first arose at the JC Penny in the 2300 block of Southwest Military last month. The loss prevention employee said he watched as Pena put a pair of jeans into a blue shopping bag.

An arrest affidavit said Pena was also observed putting on new shoes and trying to walk away with them but was confronted and put them back.

When Pena was followed by the employee, he pulled a black pocket knife and told the employee to stop following him and ran off, police said.

KSAT reported on the robbery on March 2. Detectives said they received tips the same day to identify Pena, and they arrested him Friday.

Pena faces a first-degree felony charge of aggravated robbery. The Bexar County Magistrate’s Office lists drug charges Pena has also faced.