Man With Assault Rifle Robbed 2 OC Convenience Stores, Police Say

WESTMINSTER, CA — A 31-year-old man suspected of two separate but similar armed robberies at convenience stores in Orange County was taken into custody Thursday.

Gabriel Sanchez was arrested on Thursday and booked into the Orange County Jail on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, use of a firearm during a felony and illegal possession of an assault weapon, according to the Westminster Police Department.

Detectives responded to two robberies at convenience stores in mid-January days apart from each other, police said.

Investigators obtained surveillance video from both robberies, identifying the same suspect responsible for both offenses.

"In each robbery, the suspect was seen carrying an assault style rifle under a towel and pointing it at the employee, demanding money," police said.

Several search warrants were served after Sanchez was taken into custody, where detectives recovered an AR-15-style assault rifle as evidence.

Police said detectives said they believe the two robberies may be connected and that additional robberies may have been committed under similar circumstances.

Anyone with information regarding the robberies was urged to call Westminster Police Department Detective Figueroa at 714-548-3783 or the watch commander at 714-548-3767. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS or visit occrimestopper.org.