Armed Robber Sought For Beaumont Crime Spree

BEAUMONT, CA – Beaumont police are seeking a man suspected in back-to-back, armed hold-ups last week at a bank ATM and a business, according to authorities.

In the first incident, the Beaumont Police Department was called at about 7:42 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15 to an attempted robbery at a bank on the 400 block of East 6th Street, after a victim called 911 reporting that while at an ATM, a man approached the victim’s vehicle, flashed a handgun and dropped a plastic bag in the window telling the individual to put money in the bag, the agency said.

The victim, however, stepped on the gas and fled the bank without complying with the suspect's demands, police said.

Arriving officers were unable to locate anyone matching the man's description -- a Hispanic male about 30 years old, wearing a black or gray hooded sweatshirt, jeans and a bandana over his face.

An hour later, at approximately 8:53 p.m., police were summoned to a burglary-in-progress 911 call at a business on the 400 block of East 4th Street, just a few blocks south of the bank.

Employees told officials that a man, Hispanic and approximately 30 years old, wearing a black shirt, tan pants and a bandana, came into the business' back door, flashed a handgun and demanded money, police said. The suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of cash, the department said.

Responding officers set up a search perimeter, with the assistance of a San Bernardino Sheriff Department’s helicopter, but were unable to locate the suspect. Detectives released a photo from the company's video surveillance, hoping the public can aid with an identification as Beaumont law enforcement believe the same person was involved in both cases.

Anyone with information can contact Detective Steward at 951-769-8500, or provide an anonymous tip at crimetips@beaumontpd.org or visiting beaumontpd.org/crime-tips.

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--City News Service/Images via Beaumont PD