Arrest in brazen attack on elderly man

A man is behind bars accused of attacking an elderly man outside a restaurant in Watsonville.

According to Watsonville Police, 30-year-old Agustin Rangel Tapia is now in custody at the Santa Cruz County Jail after officers spotted him outside of a home on Palm Avenue on Monday afternoon.

Officers say they had been proactively looking for the suspect since the April 20th robbery.

They credit anonymous tips from several community members with helping detectives identify the suspect and areas that he was known to frequent, including the Palm Avenue home where he was arrested.

According to police, Tapia was interviewed at the police department and confessed to the broad daylight attack, which was caught on camera.

The 70-year-old victim has recovered from the injuries he suffered while trying to fend off the suspect.

Tapia is now facing elder abuse and robbery charges. The 30-year-old also had an active arrest warrant for a felony burglary case from 2015.