Strong-Arm Robbery Reported Last Week At Trader Joe's

From the Lafayette Police Department:

Last week on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 8:52 p.m. officers were advised that the Trader Joe’s Store at 3649 Mount Diablo Boulevard had just been robbed.

Officers responded and found the store had been robbed by three subjects who had fled on foot. During the robbery, no weapons were displayed and no one was injured.

Witnesses reported at approximately 8:50 p.m. three African-American Males approached the front of the store on foot. The males were all wearing dark colored clothing and were wearing “hoodie” style sweatshirts.

The first subject entered the store and immediately took up a position on the east-side of the front entrance. The second subject followed behind the first and took up a position to the west-side of the door.

Both subjects had all of their body parts covered with clothing and were wearing clothing to hide the lower portions of their faces. The third subject followed behind the other subjects and went directly to the manager’s area of the store.

The manager had the safe open and was counting the evening’s receipts at the time. The third subject entered the manager’s area and demanded the cash.

The manager had the safe open and was counting the evening’s receipts at the time. The third subject entered the manager’s area and demanded the cash. The subject grabbed an empty bank bag and filled it with cash from the manager’s desk and the safe.

Once he had obtained the cash, the subject exited the manager’s area and fled through the front door of the store. The two suspects who had positioned themselves near the entrance ran behind the subject who had obtained the cash.

The two subjects at the door prevented customers from entering and exiting the store during the robbery by issuing verbal commands, but did not display any weapons. They are not believed to have been armed during the robbery.

After exiting the store, one witness identified that the subjects ran east-bound down Mount Diablo Boulevard toward Dewing Avenue. The witness reported seeing the subjects turn at Dewing and then head south, into the neighborhood. A perimeter was established following the robbery and a search for the subjects was done using a police canine.

The canine lost the scent of the individuals at the intersection of Mountain View and Bickerstaff Drives (south of the store). It’s believed the suspects may have actually fled the store traveling south on Mountain View Drive to an awaiting vehicle near the intersection of Bickerstaff Road.

The suspects were not located during the search which involved officers from the Sheriff’s Office and Lamorinda Agencies.