Employee injured in robbery attempt A Costa...

Employee injured in robbery attempt

A Costa Mesa store employee suffered a minor injury during an

attempted takeover-style robbery on Thursday evening when two men in

ski masks struck at the Newport Duty Free Car Club in the 1700 block

of Newport Boulevard, police said.

The men, described only as wearing masks and gloves and dressed

all in black, entered through the back door at about 6 p.m. and

demanded money, Lt. Les Gogerty said.

When the employee told them that the business did not keep any

money at that location, one of the robbers hit the employee on the

head with a handgun, Gogerty said.

“At that point, the gun went off, and a bullet was discharged,” he

said. “But no one got hit, and the bullet landed on the floor.”

Gogerty described the weapon as a dark semiautomatic handgun. The

men then ran out through the back door. No vehicle was seen, Gogerty

said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Costa Mesa Police

Department at (714) 754-5281.