Crime & Safety
Man Robs Ladera AM/PM While Accomplice Distracts Witness, an Off-Duty Officer
After the holdup, the officer went after the suspects but was unable to locate them. Deputies are hoping the public can help identify them.
A PJ bottom-clad armed robber hit a Ladera Ranch mini-mart Monday while an accomplice managed to distract a potential witness who ended up being an off-duty police officer, officials said today.
Both the suspect with the handgun and the man seen pacing outside the AM/PM market got away, according to a press release from the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Deputies are hoping someone recognizes two them from images captured on surveillance video.
At about 11:20 p.m. Monday, deputies got a call of armed robbery at the Arco AM/PM gas station store at 27402 Antonio Parkway. The primary suspect demanded cash from two registers in the store, then fled on foot with an unknown amount of cash, according to the press release. No vehicle was seen.
The suspect is described as a male, African-American, early 20s, wearing a gray shirt, PJ bottoms and a black baseball cap with a Pittsburg Steelers emblem, officials said. He was wearing gloves and his face was covered with a green bandanna.
The second suspect, who did not enter the store, was seen pacing outside the store just prior to the robbery and later discovered to have intentionally distracted a witness -- later discovered to be an off-duty police officer -- while the robbery was in-progress, officials said.
The second suspect is described as male, African-America or Hispanic, early 20s or late teens, wearing a black T-shirt, gray jeans and a red/yellow baseball cap, possibly Washington Redskins.
Both suspects fled eastbound on foot to the rear of several adjacent businesses, according to the press release. The off-duty officer, once the clerk informed him of the robbery, tried to locate the suspects in the neighboring commercial complex with no success.
Anyone with information regarding this suspect is asked to call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at (949) 425-1900 or (714) 647-7000. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227) or at occrimestoppers.org.
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