Two Man Armed Robbery Team Strikes 3 Times in One Hour Thursday Night

Pasadena police officers are searching for at least two men in a black SUV armed with a handgun who went on a brazen armed robbery spree at three locations within an hour on Thursday night. Two of the robberies occurred a single block apart on one street, North Mar Vista Avenue, while the other happened on North Euclid Avenue.

The suspects conducted each armed robbery in almost the same fashion – walking up to the victim from behind, threatening the victim with a handgun, and then fleeing in a black SUV with the loot, Pasadena police Watch Commander Lt. Mark Goodman said.

Goodman said the first robbery occurred at about 10:20 p.m. in the 400 block of Mar Vista Avenue, when a 26-year-old Pasadena woman was robbed at gunpoint as soon as she arrived home.

“The victim was approached by the suspect from behind and pushed to the ground. Once on the ground, the suspect pointed a gun at her, and demanded money,” Goodman said. “The victim gave her gym bag containing her wallet and a cellphone. The suspect walked away north on Mar Vista, entered a black SUV and drove away.”

At about 10:52 p.m., a 46-year-old man was robbed as he was walking home in the 600 block of Mar Vista, this time by two male suspects that exited a black SUV as the victim passed by. Goodman said one of the suspects pointed gun at the victim, and another went through his pockets and removed “an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency.”

“The first suspect was male, black, of thin build, wore dark-colored pants and was armed with a handgun,” Goodman said. “The other was male, black, thin build, and was wearing a black hat. Once they obtained the loss, both suspects entered the SUV and drove away southbound.”

Police believe the same suspects, and possibly others who could have stayed in the black SUV, went on to rob another victim, a 30-year-old man, in the 400 block of N. Euclid Avenue, at about 10:54 p.m.

“The victim was walking home when one of the suspects walked up to him holding a handgun and demanded his wallet,” Goodman said. “The second suspect grabbed a beige tote bag the victim was holding and that contained his wallet and cellphone.”

As in the first two incidents, the suspects entered a black SUV and drove away south. Goodman said the first suspect was in his 20s, black-haired, thin build and wore a red hooded sweatshirt. The other suspect wore a light-colored sweatshirt.

Goodman said none of the victims in the three armed robberies required medical treatment, including the woman who was pushed to the ground in the first incident.

Goodman said by the descriptions and the modus operandi, the three robberies appeared to be related.

“If we catch them, they are going to be charged with assault and also the armed robbery cases,” Goodman said. “At this point, any information [from the public about the suspects] is welcome by the Pasadena Police Department through our 24-hour dispatch line.”

Anyone with information about the suspects and the robbery incidents is advised to call (626) 744-4501.