While skateboarding in the area of Reagan and Florista streets on Monday, Dec. 2 at 8:50 p.m., a woman and two juveniles were robbed at gunpoint by two men who demanded their personal property and mobile phones. Although shaken by the incident, none of the victims was hurt.
According to the Los Alamitos Police, the suspects approached a woman where her friends were skateboarding and asked for directions. As she responded, one suspect displayed a handgun and demanded she hand over her money and her phone.
She complied. The suspect then made similar demands of the other victims, collecting a phone and MP3 player. The suspect was described as a black man, 5 feet 9 inches tall, weight 160 pounds, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with white lettered logo. A second suspect, who was described as a black man, 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds, wearing a red hooded sweatshirt with blue and white lettering, grabbed a skateboard belonging to a male victim and both suspects fled the area on footBoth suspects were thought to be between 16 and 18 years old.
This is the third armed robbery in the past month where a handgun was used to demand mobile devices and personal property from victims. As a result of these recent incidents, the Los Alamitos Police Department cautioned the public and asked that they remain alert to their surroundings and be vigilant for suspicious persons and activity.
All of the robberies have taken place after dark and near residential areas. In each case, the suspects have been similarly described as men, appearing to be black or Hispanic, 18-20 years old, wearing dark colored hooded sweatshirts.
Each robbery involved a handgun that was brandished while the suspects demanded the victims’ property. Although the modus operandi of the crimes are similar, and crimes of this nature are rare in Los Alamitos, police detectives have not definitively determined if the crimes are in fact connected.
The police are seeking the public’s help in identifying possible suspects. Anyone who witnessed these incidents or has information about these crimes asked to call (562) 594-7232, or submit anonymous tips to Orange County Crime Stoppers at www.occrimestoppers.org or 1-800-TIP-OCCS. Orange County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for any tip that leads to an arrest.
