PALMDALE – Palmdale detectives are investigating two separate armed robberies that happened within hours of each other in east and west Palmdale today (Aug. 13). No one was hurt in either incident.
The first robbery happened around 10:30 a.m. in the parking lot of Wells Fargo bank at 1006 East Palmdale Boulevard, authorities said
“There was an individual that works for a business that was doing the money drop – taking the money from the business to the bank,” said Palmdale Community Relations Deputy Robbie Royster.
Royster said the victim pulled into the parking lot and was walking into the bank when two thieves approached the victim.
“They produced a handgun and took a bag of money… reported to be about $10,000,” Royster said. “The suspects then took off [on foot] in a southeast direction towards the [Melville J.] Courson park area.”
Responding deputies contained the area around Courson park for about 20 minutes in an attempt to catch the two thieves, said Palmdale Station Watch Sgt. Paul Zarris.
Deputies detained one vehicle with two people inside, as well as three people in the park area, Royster.
“All five of those people did go through a field show up, and they were not identified as the suspects,” Royster said.
One suspect is described as a Black male, around 20 years old, standing between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-9, wearing a white hoodie with black shorts, and carrying a black backpack.
The other suspect is described as a Black male, around 20 years old, between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-9, wearing a grey hoodie and black shorts.
The second armed robbery happened around 1 p.m. near the Vons Supermarket on Rancho Vista Boulevard at 30th Street West.
“It was in the Vons shopping center, but it actually happened in the alley way or the deliver access behind the Rite Aid,” Royster said. “A White male, 20 years old, wearing a white t-shirt and black shorts, approached a delivery truck driver and produced what is believed to be a black 9mm handgun.”
Royster said the thief demanded money from the driver, and the driver complied.
“The suspect left in a later model black car, either a Nissan or a Honda, and headed east through the alley towards 30th Street West,” Royster said.
About $2,000 was taken, according to a station broadcast.
“Obviously that was company money and not the individual’s money,” Royster added.
Anyone with information on either incident is urged to contact Palmdale Station detectives at 661-272-2400. If you would like to provide information anonymously, you may do so by calling Crimestoppers at 800-222-8477.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story did not include descriptions of the robbery suspects. This story has been updated to include descriptions of all three robbery suspects and other details as told by Community Relations Deputy Robbie Royster.
AV Resident says
GODDAMN [removed] need to go back to there sewer..Sometimes i feel like that black cop from Menace To Society… I Hate [removed] but im ok with black people…get me???
sacryinshame says
I agree, Deputy Royster is a good spokesperson for Palmdale. He speaks in a audible tone and doesn’t talk so fast that you can’t understand what he is saying. (Deputy Rust)
jp says
I was stopped and searched for the bank robbery. I am 47 and look nothing like a 20 year old. They said i fit the description( African American ). First time i have ever been searched by police, did not like it at all. Lived in L.A for 20 years and nothing like has ever happened. Moved here for less crime well moving timeI guess
Eris says
DWB (driving while black)
Letlow says
Hey… consider yourself lucky that you weren’t wearing a hoodie and black shorts (the outfit of choice for many people returning from the gym).
Otherwise, you may have been thrown in jail and fighting the charge right now, like poor Damon Banks.
J. Ripper says
Who the hell wears a hoodie to the gym in August?
Letlow says
I wear a lightweight hoodie from the gym, no matter the temperature. I like to keep my muscles warm after a strenuous workout.
I guess I can no longer stop off at the store after a workout, lest I get stopped, searched and accused of being an armed robber.
Javier says
$10,000 is a lot of lettuce!
Does anyone know which pizza place it was??
It seems strange to me that the name of the business is not mentioned.
Maybe they are embarrassed at their own lax deposit policy’s,
or maybe they don’t want the world to know how simple it was and would be to rob them again.
Too cheap I guess to hire a armored truck service to insure the safely of their employees. Thank goodness no one was hurt this time around.
domici merchant says
they need to have a giant vacuum cleaner made by KIRBY and suck all the low life trash out of this Valley!! i cant believe this is the same place i moved to 20 years ago!!!!!!! take the robberies< car jackings< sagging pants back to another geographic location!! (i.e.- Slauson & Crenshaw, Watts, Compton, Jordan Downs!!!
QHR says
Well said domci!
commenter says
anyone else think its funny that both of these happened in wells fargo parking lots?…that vons has a wells fargo inside.
J. Ripper says
No.
Knee Gus Paleez says
2 young black men did an armed robbery??? No way! Wait….white dude did one too? Wtf? Ahhh hell…this whole Valley has gone haywire!
T-Bone says
Ok, First Clue something is going wrong…2 people in a hoody, in the middle of August, in a Bank parking lot! HELLO! If you have $10,000 on you, you should have noticed that!! It was 103 degrees!!!
Yo Mama says
Hell, Bone, that ain’t gonna happen to me! That s**t happens to other people. Yeah, I see the negros in hoodies on a hot day, but, I’m tellin ya, this s**t don’t happen to me! As for the white robber, Hood Rats come in alot of shades…
James says
Sounds like it’s about time for one more AV hoodie march.
T-Bone says
You right Mama, I guess you don’t need as much Baby Oil to keep that ashy look away when you are sweating yo ass off in a hoodie! Good call…