Authorities search for link in series of gas station robberies in Orange County
Authorities are trying to determine whether a string of gas station robberies that happened over two hours late Sunday and early Monday in Orange County are connected.
The first armed robbery occurred about 10:50 p.m. Sunday at the Shell gas station at 2641 N. Bristol St. in Santa Ana. The clerk told officers a man with a handgun entered the convenience store and demanded money, Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.
Bertagna said the suspect, who was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, ran from the store and fled in a dark vehicle.
Roughly 10 minutes later, authorities received another armed robbery report in Santa Ana.
A clerk at the USA Gasoline station at 2730 W. McFadden Ave. told officers a man entered the store, brandished a firearm and demanded money, Bertagna said.
It is not clear how much money was taken from both locations.
A third robbery occurred about 12:40 a.m. in Placentia, about 14 miles from the site of the second holdup in Santa Ana. The clerk at the Circle K gas station at 1801 E. Orangethorpe Ave. told police a man and a woman who were wearing bandanas over their faces stole cash and cigarettes from the business. The man was armed with a baseball bat, and the woman had a Taser. The pair fled in an older model gray Nissan, police said.
Police have not made any arrests in connection with the three robberies.
Anyone with information is asked to call Placentia Police Department detectives at (714) 993-8146. Tips also can be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS ([855] 847-6227).
Twitter: @Hannahnfry
UPDATES:
9:10 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details from police about the Placentia robbery.
This article was originally published at 6:55 a.m.
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