Suspects Caught but Evidence Is Out the Window

A pair of suspected armed robbers with a taste for fast-food restaurants led police on a chase Tuesday through two counties, throwing fistfuls of cash out the car window before officers finally caught up with them.

The two suspects, described as Long Beach juveniles aged 15 and 17, are suspected of robbing a Carl’s Jr. and a Del Taco restaurant in Anaheim of an undetermined amount of cash Tuesday. They may also be responsible for “multiple other fast-food restaurant robberies” in Orange County, including a pair of holdups Monday night in Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley, Anaheim Police Lt. Ray Welch said.

The first robbery Tuesday occurred about 7:10 p.m. at the Carl’s Jr. at 1200 N. Harbor Blvd., Welch said.

“They went through the drive-through window and demanded money,” he said. “A handgun was observed.”

An employee at the restaurant took down the license plate number as the suspects drove off in a stolen brown Chevrolet Malibu, police said.

A description of the two and the getaway car, which had been reported stolen out of Long Beach, was broadcast by Anaheim police.

Less than 20 minutes later, the suspects drove up to the drive-through window at the Del Taco restaurant at 1290 N. Euclid St., police said.

They again flashed a revolver and demanded money, police said.

After the second robbery, police broadcast another countywide alert, and within 10 minutes the suspects’ car was spotted by a Buena Park patrol officer at Stanton Avenue and Manchester Boulevard in Buena Park.

The chase began when the officer tried to pull the suspects over.

The suspects tried to lose pursuing police on city streets and then entered the Riverside Freeway.

On the freeway, the suspects, reaching speeds as high as 95 m.p.h., threw fistfuls of cash out the window, police said.

The suspects headed into Los Angeles County, where they exited the Riverside Freeway and entered the San Diego Freeway, police said.

The 35-minute chase ended in Long Beach when the suspects exited the freeway and pulled over, police said.

They were taken into custody without incident and were held on suspicion of armed robbery.

No injuries were reported.