Woman who was robbed at gunpoint in Atascadero spots her alleged assailant, leading to an arrest

By Staff report

A real estate agent who was robbed while showing a home in Atascadero last week recognized the alleged perpetrator while walking out of Scolari’s Market in San Luis Obispo on Tuesday.

Trisha Cruz called 911 at 4:30 p.m. after recognizing the man who allegedly robbed her at gunpoint April 27 while she was showing a house near Yesal and Curbaril avenues. The man took her purse during the robbery.

The man, later identified by police as David Albertsen, a 64-year-old transient, was standing near the front of the grocery store when Cruz saw him, according to a police news release. When officers contacted him, they allegedly found a loaded handgun in his pocket. A blue SUV with Arizona license plates that had previously been associated with area robberies was found in a parking lot in the Foothill Boulevard area, according to police. Detectives said they were able to link Albertsen to the vehicle.

Albertsen was arrested on suspicion of robbery, carrying a concealed weapon and for carrying a loaded firearm in public.

San Luis Obispo detectives are working with other agencies to see if Albertsen is responsible for other armed robberies. It was previously thought the man who committed the Atascadero robbery also robbed the San Luis Creek Lodge and guests at the Shore Cliff Lodge in Pismo Beach.