LATHROP – A $1,000 reward is being offered by the South County Crime Stoppers for information leading to the arrest of the suspect in the two blatant robberies that occurred in December and January at the Metro PCS in Lathrop.
The electronic business is located in the Save Mart shopping center on North Harlan Road just south of Lathrop Road.
The suspect in both crime incidents is described as a black male, approximately 5-foot-2 to 5-foot-5. At the first robbery on Dec. 8, 2009 which happened around 6:20 p.m., the suspect was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a grey/white/black-patterned bandanna that he used to cover his face.
At the Jan. 19 robbery incident which occurred at 6:54 p.m., authorities said the suspect matched the description of the man who robbed the store in December. During this second robbery, he was described as wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and black tennis shoes. He had a black ski mask on and wore gray leather gloves.
Videotapes of the two robbery incidents were supplied by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. They were taken by surveillance cameras at the store.
In the first videotape, the suspect is clearly shown entering the front door of Metro PCS. As he enters the business establishment, he is shown removing something out the front pocket of his sweatshirt. According to police reports, the item that the suspect took out of his sweatshirt pocket was a standard hammer. He then demanded to have the money from the cash register, and then forced the clerk into the back room of the business. He ordered her to kneel down in the bathroom then proceeded to steal an indeterminate number of brand new cell phones and cell phone cases before fleeing the store in an unknown direction.
In the Jan. 19 robbery, the videotape shows the suspect pulling a handgun from his waistband and pointing it at the clerk who was seated behind the counter and demanded all the money from the cash register. In this second videotape, the young female clerk is shown with her back to the camera. She is also shown opening the cash register and handing the money to the robber, while the suspect also proceeded to grab something in the shelf behind the counter. As he demanded the money, the suspect is shown taking out of his left pocket a bag where the clerk placed all the money. As he opened the bag with his left hand, the robber is shown putting back the gun in his waistband as he held the bag open for the clerk to fill with the cash. With the gun still in his waistband, he ordered the clerk to the back room of the store during which time he swiped an unknown number of cell phones and cell phone cases from the backroom and then fled the store.
Anyone with information about the two robberies is asked to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office at (209) 468-4400. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact the South County Crime Stoppers number at (209) 823-INFO (823-4636). The reward is for information that would lead to the arrest of the suspect in the two robberies.
The electronic business is located in the Save Mart shopping center on North Harlan Road just south of Lathrop Road.
The suspect in both crime incidents is described as a black male, approximately 5-foot-2 to 5-foot-5. At the first robbery on Dec. 8, 2009 which happened around 6:20 p.m., the suspect was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a grey/white/black-patterned bandanna that he used to cover his face.
At the Jan. 19 robbery incident which occurred at 6:54 p.m., authorities said the suspect matched the description of the man who robbed the store in December. During this second robbery, he was described as wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and black tennis shoes. He had a black ski mask on and wore gray leather gloves.
Videotapes of the two robbery incidents were supplied by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. They were taken by surveillance cameras at the store.
In the first videotape, the suspect is clearly shown entering the front door of Metro PCS. As he enters the business establishment, he is shown removing something out the front pocket of his sweatshirt. According to police reports, the item that the suspect took out of his sweatshirt pocket was a standard hammer. He then demanded to have the money from the cash register, and then forced the clerk into the back room of the business. He ordered her to kneel down in the bathroom then proceeded to steal an indeterminate number of brand new cell phones and cell phone cases before fleeing the store in an unknown direction.
In the Jan. 19 robbery, the videotape shows the suspect pulling a handgun from his waistband and pointing it at the clerk who was seated behind the counter and demanded all the money from the cash register. In this second videotape, the young female clerk is shown with her back to the camera. She is also shown opening the cash register and handing the money to the robber, while the suspect also proceeded to grab something in the shelf behind the counter. As he demanded the money, the suspect is shown taking out of his left pocket a bag where the clerk placed all the money. As he opened the bag with his left hand, the robber is shown putting back the gun in his waistband as he held the bag open for the clerk to fill with the cash. With the gun still in his waistband, he ordered the clerk to the back room of the store during which time he swiped an unknown number of cell phones and cell phone cases from the backroom and then fled the store.
Anyone with information about the two robberies is asked to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office at (209) 468-4400. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact the South County Crime Stoppers number at (209) 823-INFO (823-4636). The reward is for information that would lead to the arrest of the suspect in the two robberies.
