Man Sought in Armed Robbery of Auto Shop

Police are looking for a man who robbed a Newbury Park automotive service station and struck an employee with a gun.

At about 5 p.m. Saturday, a man entered the Econo Lube and Tune in the 300 block of Giant Oak Avenue and held two employees at gunpoint, police said.

The robber--described as a muscular Latino man approximately 30 years old, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, and weighing about 200 pounds--ordered employees to give him the cash from the business and threatened to shoot them if they did not comply, police said.

During the robbery, a third employee walked into the office, and the suspect struck him on the head with the gun, police said.

The suspect then took an undetermined amount of cash and fled on foot, possibly to a waiting vehicle, police said.

The employee who was hit suffered a deep gash to his head. He was taken to Los Robles Regional Medical Center, where his wound was stitched and he was released.

Late Saturday, police searched the area with the help of helicopter and canine units but failed to locate the robber.