Man, Woman Sought in Peninsula Knifepoint Holdup: Police

SAN MATEO, CA — San Mateo police have asked the public for help identifying a man and woman who tried to rob a store at the Hillsdale Shopping Center last Saturday.

At about 6:30 p.m., officers received a report that the two, allegedly armed with a knife and gun, had forced a store employee into a back room and asked for the safe.

"The suspects asked the employee for the safe, but there was no safe inside the store," police said in a news release. "Upon learning that there was no safe, the suspects left the store without stealing anything."

No injuries were reported, and the suspects got away.

"Officers conducted an extensive search for the suspects, but were unable to locate them," police said.

Both suspects were described as black and about 60 years old. The man was about 6 feet 6 inches tall with a slender build and short, curly salt-and-pepper-colored hair. He was wearing a zip-up sweater and jeans, according to police.

The woman was about 5 feet 10 inches tall and very skinny with black hair tied in a bun. She was missing teeth on the right side of her mouth, police said.

Police have released sketches of the suspects and are asking for help in identifying them. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Ed Han at (650) 522-7664 or ehan@cityofsanmateo.org.

— Images via SMPD / Bay City News Service contributed to this report.