Man suspected of robbing victim of car keys, possessions before engaging in altercation in Costa Mesa

A 31-year-old Santa Ana man was arrested on suspicion of strong-arm robbery Monday, after he allegedly engaged in an altercation with a man in his car near a Costa Mesa hotel and attempted to rob him of his possessions, police officials reported.

Costa Mesa Police Department spokeswoman Roxi Fyad said officers responded to a hotel parking structure on the 3100 block of Bristol Street at approximately 8:10 a.m. Monday regarding a call about two men fighting.

Arriving on scene, they located two individuals and learned the victim had been sleeping in his vehicle when the suspect — identified as Rogelio Preciado, 31, of Santa Ana — reached into the vehicle, removed the keys from the ignition and grabbed other items from the center console.

The victim attempted to retrieve his property but only managed to grab his keys, according to an incident report. The two men reportedly engaged in a struggle outside the vehicle until a passerby witnessed the scene and contacted the police.

Preciado complained of pain and was transported to a nearby hospital before being booked at the Orange County Jail on suspicion of robbery. The victim suffered minor injuries from the altercation, Fyad said.

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