The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has released surveillance footage of a brazen armed robbery that took place at a Sprint store in Poway in which a suspect made off with $17,000 worth of cell phones.

The video released by authorities on Thursday shows the frightening moments experienced by employees when an unknown man armed with a gun walked into a Sprint store in a shopping center on Poway Road Monday around 7:45 p.m.

On the tape, the suspect – described by detectives as an African-American man between 35 and 40 years old – can be seen bursting into the shop and pointing his weapon at a female employee sitting behind a desk.

The woman is visibly shaken. The suspect, carrying a black bag, orders the woman to place a multitude of cell phones inside the bag. Later, the gun-wielding suspect can be seen approaching a male employee and ordering him to do the same.

At one point, the male and female victims stand together in a back room inside the store and hurriedly place dozens of cell phones inside the suspect’s black bag as he looks on, still pointing his gun at them.

Once he’s gotten what he wants, the surveillance tape shows the suspect quickly fleeing the store on foot.

NBC 7 San Diego spoke with store manager Michael Tims on Thursday, one of the employees held at gunpoint in the robbery.

“I panicked to be honest, my initial reaction was panic,” said Tims, recalling the scary encounter.

At one point, with the man’s gun in his face, Tims said he pondered whether he was about to die.
“I absolutely had those thoughts running through my head, these are potentially the last moments here,” he told NBC 7.

According to detectives, the unknown man responsible for the armed robbery remains at large. He’s described as 6 feet tall and 160 to 180 pounds.

He wore a black hooded sweatshirt with a red rim, black pants, black shoes, one black glove on his right hand and a black mask covering his face during the robbery. His gun is described as a silver revolver with a 6-inch barrel.

In all, officials said the man stole between 30 to 40 Apple iPhones – models 4S, 5C and 5S – in the heist, worth about $17,000.

Before he left, the suspect forced the two Sprint employees into a restroom and told them not to come out until he left the store. The employees were not injured.

With the release of the new images and footage of the robbery, official are asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating the suspect.

Anyone with information should call the Crime Stoppers tip line at (888) 580-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous and a $1,000 reward is being offered for details leading to the arrest of this man.

Molly Schuyler's eyes were just as big as her stomach.

The mom of four, who weighs in at 120 pounds, finished a 72-oz. steak in under 3 minutes.

Sayler's Old Country Kitchen in Portland, Ore. holds a steak-eating challenge regularly and has totaled over 2,000 attempts to complete it. Owner Bryan Sayler figured Schuyler would finish within the one-hour time limit but never imagined she would eat a steak that big in her official time of 2 minutes, 48 seconds.

"She just devoured it," he said, noting that she is a member of the Big Eaters Club and is no stranger to big portions. "It looked like she was eating cotton candy instead of a sirloin," he said.

Schuyler, a mother of four from Bellevue, Neb., started eating competitively in 2012 and quickly became rookie of the year. Among her eating accomplishments: Scarfing eight beef patties in one minute, 46 seconds and devouring nine pounds of fried mushrooms in eight minutes.

"(It's) an unexplained phenomenon; I was just born that way," she told Portland's Fox affiliate KPTV. "I started doing this about a year ago, and I guess it's like a stupid human trick."

With about 50 spectators, she strategically waited until the steak cooled down so she could eat it with her hands.

"Most people use a knife and fork and barely get through it," said Sayler. "It was disturbing," he added.

The Guinness World Record for eating a 72-oz. steak is six minutes, 48 seconds.

According to Sayler's Old Country Kitchen's website, whoever manages to finish the steal meal — which includes 10 French fries or a baked potato, as well as two celery sticks, two dill pickles, a slice of bread and a salad — gets it for free.

Schuyler finished her sides at a leisurely pace after consuming her steak.

As for how she felt later, according to Sayler? "I'm fine," she said.

Health officials are urging people to get vaccinated in the wake of recent flu-related deaths and a new strain of the H1N1 virus.

So far this season, in the Bay Area, nine cases of swine flu-related deaths have been confirmed by officials:

• San Francisco County: 1
• Marin County: 2
• Sonoma County: 1
• Alameda County: 1
• Contra Costa County: 1
• Santa Clara County: 2
• San Mateo County: 1

Officials said the H1N1 virus currently spreading is the first new strain in decades -- and has been killing not just the elderly -- as is often seen with the other strains -- but also younger adults and children.

Many of those who died did not have any underlying health risks, officials said.

Alameda County's deputy health officer, Dr. Erica Pan, said she is concerned about people choosing not to get the flu shot becase they feel "it's not safe."

She said health departments get new vaccines each year as a response to the changing flu virus.

MORE: Flu Prevention Tips

While the flu season tends to peak in February, doctors are seeing an influx of patients suffering from flu-like symptoms.

"The fact that we are seeing an increase in flu activity, flu-related hospitalizations and deaths should motivate us to take action now and get a flu shot to prevent the most serious effects of the flu," said Dr. Scott Morrow, Health Officer for San Mateo County.

Regional Medical Center in San Jose has set up a large tent to treat patients with flu symptoms. Doctors said this also helps them keep patients with the symptoms away from other patients.

This is first time the hospital has had to set up the flu tent.

MORE: Riverside County Man Dies of H1NI

The 4-year-old boy who was found dead in a Times Square apartment with burns and cuts on his body had been "tortured" and starved for the last three weeks of his life, including being forced to stand on an apartment balcony in his underwear in near-zero temperatures, prosecutors said Friday.

The child, Myls Dobson, had been left with a babysitter after his father was arrested in December. That woman, 27-year-old Kryzie King, was arraigned Friday on assault and reckless endangerment charges.

At her arraignment, prosecutors said he had been burned, beaten and cut all over his body, tortured for the three weeks that he had been in her care.

He had not been fed in two weeks, and was forced out in the cold the week he died, prosecutors said.

King's attorney said the investigation is still going but his client "must be presumed innocent." He said she has been "depressed and sullen."

Earlier in the day Friday, the child's mother, who did not have custody of her son, wept at a news conference as she said she had only wanted the best for him.

"I always wanted the best for my son, my baby," said Ashley Dobson as she cried at a news conference.

Dobson had been trying to get her son back for weeks, her representatives said. A spokesman said a Family Court judge gave custody to his father in 2012 because she was living in a shelter and was not able to care for him financially.

Officers found the boy when they responded to a 911 call at a building on West 48th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue around 11 a.m. Wednesday. 

His mother last saw him in November, her lawyers said.

Sources close to the investigation told NBC 4 New York the boy had been known to child welfare authorities since 2011, when a neglect case was brought against his mother.

The child was living with his grandmother when his father, Okee Wade, petitioned for custody of the child, the sources said.

Wade was granted custody in August of 2012 but on the condition that child protective services visit the boy twice a month for one year. A warrant was issued for Wade's arrest following an racketeering indictment in June for allegedly siphoning money from bank accounts in Atlantic City.

Wade left his son in the custody of King on Dec. 18 and was shortly after arrested in New York and extradited to New Jersey, where he remains in custody, the sources said.

Myls had been with King since his father was jailed, investigators said. 

The child welfare agency said Friday it was reviewing the case to learn what happened and what might have been done differently.

One person died in a horrific car crash in Campo on Thursday.

According to the California Highway Patrol, two vehicles collided on Old Highway 80 and Church Road just before 4 p.m.

When rescue crews arrived, they found a black Cadillac Escalade flipped over and another car smashed into a guardrail.

Two people were taken to the hospital via helicopter, and one of the victims later died, according to officials.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.
 

A McDonald’s customer is suing the fast food chain after, she alleges, a cup of hot coffee spilled on her at a Southern California drive thru.

Paulette Carr said she was injured on Jan. 9, 2012, after ordering breakfast and coffee from a McDonald’s restaurant on Sepulveda Boulevard in Van Nuys.

According to the lawsuit, Carr pulled up to the drive-through window and when she reached out for her coffee, the hot drink spilled on her.

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“The lid for the hot coffee was negligently, carelessly and improperly placed on the coffee cup … in such a way so that it did not stay on the coffee cup resulting in the lid coming off the top of the coffee at the window causing the hot coffee to spill onto the plaintiff,” the lawsuit alleges.

Filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the lawsuit does not describe the severity of the plaintiff’s injuries. It seeks unspecified monetary damages for wage loss, hospital and medical expenses, loss of earning capacity, and the need for future medical care.

Requests for comment from McDonald’s and the plaintiff’s attorney, Sheri Manning, were not returned by the time of publication.

Carr’s lawsuit comes nearly 20 years after a jury awarded a McDonald’s customer $2.8 million after a cup of coffee ordered at an Albuquerque drive thru spilled on her lap. A judge cut that award to $650,000 and the plaintiff ultimately settled with McDonald’s out of court for an undisclosed amount.

All San Diego Chargers fans share camaraderie. But Charlton Lynch and Louis Munoz share something even greater.

Charlton and Louis have both been season ticket holders for almost a decade. The two men played on the same Little League team, but had not seen each other for years—until they were randomly seated next to each other at Qualcomm Stadium.

As Charlton explains, he was originally assigned a different seat, but requested to move a seat out of the sun.

“Due to the grace of God and the Chargers ticket office, they placed me next to Louis and his wife,” Charlton said.

Louis instantly recognized Charlton, and they became fast friends, cheering on the Bolts at every home game. When Charlton started missing games, Louis and his wife became concerned.

What they didn’t know was that Charlton was going through kidney dialysis and didn’t always have the strength to attend.

“Dialysis started kicking in, and it takes a toll on you mentally and physically,” Charlton said.

After Charlton explained why he was absent, Louis’ wife suggested he get tested to see if he was a match.

“I’ve have been going through this for quite a while. I’ve had numerous people step up and say they want to get tested, but not follow through,” Charlton said.

But Louis did follow through and turned out to be a perfect match.

When it came to deciding whether or not to donate, Louis said, “No hesitation. I was mostly excited for him.”

In October, doctors at UC San Diego performed the successful kidney transplant.

“I was so excited at that moment (before surgery) because I knew my life was about to change,” Charlton said.

Louis, a middle school teacher, had to miss two months of worth, but says it was worth it.

“Two months of downtime will put 20 years back to his time,” Louis said.

The kidney has given Charlton a new lease on life.

“I’m still in awe of the sacrifices he made,” Charlton said.

“It is crazy. It’s kind of like the season the Chargers are having this year,” Louis said. “No one expected anything from them, and look at them now.”

A man angry over an expired coupon tossed a full cup of hot coffee onto an employee of a Dunkin' Donuts.

According to Philadelphia Police the man frequents the store at N Broad Street and Wyoming Avenue in the city’s Logan neighborhood.

Earlier this week the man, who employees know as “Will” walked into the store and ordered a coffee. He tried using an expired coupon to pay for the coffee but wasn’t allowed to since the coupon expired, according to investigators.

After paying for the cup of joe, “Will” got into a verbal argument with the woman behind the counter, investigators said.

During the argument, “Will” began to leave the store but as he walked towards the door he turned back around and thrusted his cup of hot liquid into the worker’s face.

The woman was treated at an area hospital for coffee burns and some problems with her eyes that persisted days later.

The entire incident was captured on surveillance video.

Police hope that someone knows who “Will” is and that they will alert detectives. 

A mother driving with her 3-year-old daughter slammed her car into a construction vehicle Friday morning, causing her car to land on its roof, officials said.

According to police, the woman was driving eastbound on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Moraga Avenue around 7:15 a.m. when the sun got in her eyes. She struck the back of CAT construction vehicle and the impact caused her car to flip over.

Other than a few scrapes, police said the mother and daughter were not injured in the incident. No one else was involved or harmed either.

Officials temporarily closed eastbound Clairemont Mesa Boulevard following the incident.
 

San Diego-based restaurant and nightclub operator Enlightened Hospitality Group LLC has closed its Gabardine restaurant in Point Loma and its Searsucker location in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“In an effort to remain focused on the national rollout of Enlightened Hospitality Group’s ‘fabric of social dining’ restaurant concepts, we have decided to close our Searsucker Scottsdale and Gabardine San Diego locations,” CEO James Brennan said in a statement.

Enlightened Hospitality Group was started in 2009 and is led by Brennan and celebrity chef Brian Malarkey. Gabardine opened at 1005 Rosecrans St. in 2012, the same year the Scottsdale Searsucker debuted.

Enlightened Hospitality currently operates Searsucker restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter and Carmel Valley, with an additional Searsucker in Austin, Texas. Its other local restaurants include Herringbone in La Jolla and the Green Acre farm-to-table eateries in Torrey Pines and University Towne Center.

The company also owns Stingaree nightclub in downtown San Diego. It closed its Gingham restaurant in La Mesa last year.

Enlightened in recent months has been working to expand the Searsucker and Herringbone restaurant concepts outside of the San Diego region. It will soon open a new Herringbone location in West Hollywood.
 

The Business Journal is the premier business publication in San Diego. Every day online and each Monday in print, the Business Journal reports on how local business operate and why businesses leaders make the decisions they do. Every story is a dose of insight into how to run a better, more efficient, more profitable business.

Investigators say speed played a factor in a crash that killed a 22-year-old man Thursday.

A car and a motorcycle collided around 4:10 p.m. on eastbound Interstate 8, just west of Interstate 805, in Mission Valley. Officials say the black Suzuki became trapped underneath the sedan, and a fuel leak caused both vehicles to catch on fire.

Aerial pictures showed smoke swirling above the accident site. Officials say witnesses attempted to put out the fire with hand extinguishers.

The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig Alert. At one point, the entire eastbound side of the freeway was closed. It backed up traffic for miles during rush hour.

Bystanders performed CPR on the motorcyclist, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to CHP. His name has not yet been released but the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office has confirmed that the man was an active-duty military servicemember.

The driver of the sedan, a 53-year-old woman from Chula Vista, was visibly shaken but uninjured.

Investigators say the motorcycle was going approximately 100 miles per hour at the moment of impact. The motorcyclist was trying to merge onto southbound I-805 from I-8.

"He came upon slower moving traffic. He was unable to stop in time," CHP Sergeant Jack Mears said.

Mears says motorcycles cutting between lanes of heavy traffic is a common problem on San Diego roads.

"They have to drive safe, just like anyone else," Mears said.

One witness tells NBC 7 that she saw a second motorcycle speed off right after the accident happened. 

"It sounded like a bomb coming from the same area where the black motorcycle had just left," Alyssa Ehrlich said.

"Either they were racing or some road rage was going on," Ehrlich said.

So far, the investigation has not indicated anything more than operator error, according to CHP.

"We have no factual basis for any type of racing at this time," Mears said.

Erlich may have been the only witness to observe the second motorcycle because of her place in traffic.

"It's just absurd to think that somebody would just leave that quickly from a scene. Then a half second later, there is another motorcyclist dead in flames," she said.

Police are looking for a man believed to be a felon in possession of firearms in El Cajon.

Thursday morning, Lance Rodgers fled from detectives who had set up surveillance on a residence in the 1500 block of Fargo Avenue in El Cajon. After searching the residence, officers found weapons implicating Rodgers in a number of burglaries.

Anyone with information on Rodgers should call sheriff’s department at (858) 565-5200 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. A potential $1,000 reward is being offered.

The family of a firefighter killed in a high-speed crash in Campo last October is looking for justice – and fighting to keep their loved one’s memory alive.

Darin Steffey, 37, was struck and killed by a vehicle while riding his motorcycle on Buckman Springs Road. According to the California Highway Patrol, the driver of the vehicle, Natasia Wood, was speeding, driving at approximately 70 mph when the posted speed limit in the area is 55 mph.

Wood was charged with vehicular manslaughter and gross negligence in the deadly crash, and will face a judge on Tuesday. CHP officials say Woods was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It is unknown if Woods was on her cell phone at the time of the fatal collision.

Since then, Steffey’s loved ones, including girlfriend Jessica Raddatz, say their lives have been turned upside down. Next week, a part of their closure will come from the courtroom.

“There needs to be consequences for your actions. You can’t just kill somebody, whether you’re drinking or not, when you’re going an excessive speed, it’s very dangerous,” said Raddatz.

But no matter what comes of the courtroom, for Raddatz, the pain of losing Steffey hasn’t gone away.

“This is one his fire jackets and his formal fire shirt,” she explained, showing NBC 7 San Diego some mementos she keeps close to her heart.

“It's a never-ending nightmare that you just want to wake up from and you wake up every morning, nope, this is happening. This is your life and he's not here, he's gone. And it sucks,” she added.

Steffey was a U.S. Forest Service firefighter, once a part of the Hot Shots, as well as a U.S. Air Force veteran.

Raddatz says she’ll never forget his kind, gentle ways.

“[He was] very charismatic, genuine, loving – very loving. He was always very affectionate with me. He always made me feel loved and goofy at times,” she said.

To keep her firefighter’s memory alive, Raddatz has created a Facebook page in honor of Steffey.

For her, the ultimate justice includes keeping Steffey’s memory alive. She wants people to always remember Steffey’s commitment to helping others.

“I want a roadside memorial and sign out on Buckman Springs Road for Darin,” she said.

For now, a makeshift memorial stands with a cross, signs and photos dedicated to Steffey. A memorial fund has also been established in Steffey's honor to help make that roadside memorial a reality.
 

With just two days left until the Chargers’ playoffs game against the Broncos, San Diego was a sea of blue and gold Friday as fans “bolted up” for the gridiron showdown and celebrated Chargers spirit day.

In National City, businesses showed their Chargers pride by decking out their store in team colors, flags and other Bolts gear. Participating businesses on the “Bolt Up” crusade include Appliance Parts Center, Inc. on East 8th Street as well as Aunt Emma’s Pancakes, Clarion Hotel South Bay and Frank Motors, all on National City Boulevard.

Meanwhile, on Mira Mesa Boulevard, Chargers fans held an early morning pep rally Friday at the Mira Mesa Park and Ride off Interstate 15.

There, Bolts fan Robert Farrell said he’s looking forward to watching an exciting game and celebrating a Chargers victory come Sunday.

“The only thing that I’m a little bit worried about is the cold weather. It’s going to be crazy cold up there and I’m not sure if that’s going to be a problem. But other than that, they’re going to play great ball. We’ve had a great season,” said Farrell.

At the rally, attendees who contributed a $10 donation to local charity Just in Time received a special Bolts-themed T-shirt featuring the tagline, “Fear the Bolo.”

That is, of course, a reference to the bolo tie worn recently by Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. Ever since Rivers sported the stylish neckwear, the buzz behind the bolo has been strong in America’s Finest City.

The “Fear the Bolo” shirt was made by the James Gang Company in Ocean Beach. The apparel has become so popular, store employees say they’re completely sold out of the shirts and are currently printing more to accommodate customer demand.

Store employees told NBC 7 Rivers himself has even ordered some of the T-shirts for his family and friends.

Meanwhile, over at Rady Children’s Hospital, even young fans showed their Bolts pride. Signs of encouragement in hand, little Chargers fans posed for photos (see gallery above) sending the team their best wishes ahead of the game against Denver.

Even San Diego Interim Mayor Todd Gloria got in on the action by encouraging all city employees to wear Chargers colors or gear Friday in honor of spirit day.

Gloria also placed a bet on the Bolts with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock earlier in the week. If the Broncos win, Hancock will send Gloria some of Denver’s finest green chili.

If the Bolts win, Gloria has agreed to send Hancock some San Diego staples including a California burrito, carne asada fries and deep-fried catfish tacos.

Finally, at NBC 7 San Diego, the morning news crew made a friendly wager with our NBC station in Denver on the outcome of the game. If the Broncos win, NBC 7 will send the Denver news crew some fish tacos and famous San Diego craft beer. If the Bolts win, the Denver crew will send some of their city’s best craft beer.

Are you celebrating the Chargers today at a local spirit event? Let us know how you plan to “Bolt Up” in the comments section below. Go Chargers!

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A man has been arrested in connection with recent iPod scams in the San Diego area.

Gian Ericson De Los Reyes, 26, is accused of entering local Target stores, removing iPods from their cases and putting erasers in the boxes to simulate a similar weight.

Thefts were reported in Santee, Poway, Lemon Grove, Chula Vista, Escondido and San Diego.

De Los Reyes was taken into custody while crossing into the United States from Mexico on Wednesday and booked on two charges of commercial burglary.

His bail is set at $50,000 and the investigation is continuing.

As the adage says, all good things must come to an end. This includes the residency of a furry, adorable giant panda bear that has been a staple at the San Diego Zoo since 2009.

According to the San Diego Zoo website, 4-year-old Yun Zi left the zoo Thursday, bound for his ancestral homeland in China. The panda was crated up and driven to LAX, where he then caught a flight to China, zoo officials said. He was accompanied on the trip by his handler and veterinarian.

The giant pandas are at the San Diego Zoo on a research loan from the Chinese government, which can call the bears back to their native country after they turn 3 years old.

The zoo is one of four in the United States that partake in the special panda loan program, which helps animal specialists learn more about endangered species and breeding.

Yun Zi – which means “Son of Cloud” – was born at the San Diego Zoo on Aug. 5, 2009, to mother Bai Yun and father Gao Gao.

Over the years the lovable, good-natured panda was amassed fans all over the world. He’s also grown up before the eyes of San Diego locals and visitors alike, celebrating his birthday each year with a special party and playing with his many siblings at the zoo’s famous panda exhibit.

As of September 2013, “little” Yun Zi weighed nearly 200 pounds and, according to zookeepers, is on track to one day become as large as his famous grandfather, Pan Pan.

The panda is known for his playful spirit, which includes a bit of a rambunctious streak, as seen during his “terrible twos” phase at the zoo. He’s also been described by zookeepers as smart, fun and a little destructive, just as a young tot should be.

During his second birthday at the zoo, Yun Zi memorably knocked over his birthday cake, as if throwing a mini temper tantrum. However, by the time he hit three years old, he was more mature, eating his special cake like a big boy. His fourth birthday last year also went off swimmingly.

With Yun Zi’s big move comes a new stage in his panda life.

According to zoo officials, keepers spent a lot of time preparing the panda for this transition, crate training him for weeks in anticipation of his long trip home.

And, while this news might seem unbearable for local panda lovers, there are still many cute pandas left at the San Diego Zoo for visitors to admire. This includes Xiao Liwu, the little cub born to Bai Yun and Gao Gao in July 2012.

The pandas can be adored and gawked at daily via the zoo’s Panda Cam.

Two San Diego women who split the bill on a bunch of lottery tickets are now splitting a huge prize that has made them both instant millionaires.

According to California Lottery officials, local residents Jennifer Carney and Kathryn Rosensweet recently bought a lucky Mega Millions ticket worth $2,621,916 at Fuller Liquor and Deli located at 3896 Rosecrans St.

Their ticket matched five numbers in the record-breaking Mega Millions drawing on Dec. 17, missing only the Mega number 7.

Lotto officials say the women purchased 20 tickets together at the liquor store in San Diego. The one that won was a Quick Pick that successfully matched the numbers 8, 20, 14, 17 and 39.

While Carney and Rosensweet didn’t win the whopping $648 million jackpot, the locals are thrilled with their prize and already have big plans for their newfound cash.

“I’m paying off my house,” said Carney. “I hope to continue life as normal, just a little more comfortable.”

Rosensweet plans to spend her share on new carpet for her home.

“The money is already spent!” she said.

In the meantime, Fuller Liquor and Deli will also receive a retailer bonus of about $13,000 for selling the winning ticket. Lotto officials recently delivered a super-sized winner’s check to store co-owner Martin Salem (pictured below).

Although the ultimate Mega Millions jackpot winners from last month's $648 million drawing turned out to be San Jose, Calif., resident Steve Tran and Georgia resident Ira Curry, San Diego County got pretty lucky in the lotto game that night.

Besides the aforementioned ticket belonging to Carney and Rosensweet, lottery officials say another ticket sold in the county that also matched five numbers.

That ticket was sold at Square Bottle Liquor at 21 Naples in Chula Vista. It too is worth $2.6 million but that winner has yet to come forward to claim the prize.