LOCAL : 3 Arrested After 20 People Robbed, Held Hostage in Bar
Three armed men burst into a Van Nuys bar Wednesday night, robbed 20 patrons and employees and held them hostage for an hour before police arrived, authorities said today. No one was hurt.
The suspects were booked on suspicion of robbery and kidnaping and were being held at Van Nuys Jail. They were identified as Otis Tooks, 31, and Arthur Taylor, 24, both of Compton, and Albert G. Sutton, 24, of San Dimas.
Police Sgt. Rick Shields said three men entered the Nice ‘N’ Easy bar at 7214 Sepulveda Blvd. about 7:30 p.m., herded patrons and employees into a back office at gunpoint and took their cash and jewelry.
One patron was able to slip out and call police. Officers surrounded the bar as a police helicopter circled above and, using a loudspeaker, ordered the robbers to surrender.
“Two attempted to escape through an air vent but were stopped on the roof by officers in the helicopter,” Shields said. The third gunman surrendered about 10 minutes later.
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