Mask-Wearing Armed Bandits Wanted In Multiple OC Robberies

SANTA ANA, CA —A pair of masked gunmen have robbed multiple locations around Orange County, police say. Officials are now wondering if the heists could have been pulled off by the same individuals.

Investigators from the Santa Ana, Orange County - Mission Viejo area Sheriff's Department and the Irvine Police Department suspect two men, working together, are responsible for the rash of robberies, Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.

"It's all the same MO," Bertagna said. "They take a backpack, throw the backpack to the clerk and say put the money in the bag. They put the money in the bag and they're out."

Most recently, overnight Wednesday, a ski mask-wearing man, carrying a gun, robbed a hotel in Santa Ana. The same man was suspected of then attempting to rob a convenience store in Irvine, authorities disclosed.

Also overnight, a suspect entered a Santa Ana Courtyard by Marriott, in the area of MacArthur Boulevard and Main Street, a spokesperson for the Santa Ana Police Department said.

According to reports, he pulled a gun and robbed the hotel of $600.

A half hour later, another man seen wearing a ski mask and black clothes walked into the 7-Eleven near Irvine Center, and Research drives, Irvine police say.

"He flashed a gun but did not get any money," Irvine police Sgt. Mike Meyers said.

The 7-Eleven clerk emphatically described the incident to a news photographer at the scene.
"He came in here, one guy (yelling) `money, money, money," clerk Ashewani Kumar said.
Instead of giving the masked man money, Kumar said he yelled at the armed man until he left the store.

"Get out! No money! You go! Go!"

He said he was not scared during the entire encounter.

"God is my helper," Kumar said.

The suspect was believed to be linked to other armed robberies in Orange County this week, Meyers said.

The two locations are about 10 miles apart.

Also on Monday night, two liquor stores in Mission Viejo were robbed at gunpoint, each by two men wearing hoodies and masks who showed a gun and took an unknown amount of cash from each location, the Orange County Sheriff's Department said.

A detailed description of the suspect or suspects was not immediately available.

Irvine police set up a tip line for information, and anyone who can help investigators catch the suspects was asked to call (949) 724-7394.

No one was hurt in any of the incidents.

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