A police drone assisted firefighters battling a commercial blaze in La Mesa, while a second drone helped officers locate a robbery suspect nearby, authorities said Tuesday.

Around 3 p.m. Monday, Heartland Fire & Rescue crews responded to a building fire at 8800 Grossmont Blvd., where construction materials had ignited on the rooftop, according to the El Cajon Police Department.

As part of the department's Drone as First Responder Program, one drone was deployed to provide real-time aerial visuals of the fire's location and spread. Police said the footage played a key role in supporting firefighting operations.

At about 3:50 p.m., while the fire response was underway, officers received a report of a man stealing a pair of shoes from the Vans store at 882 N. Second St. in El Cajon, police

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