Palo Alto Police Investigate Strong-Arm Robbery Of Teen Cyclist

PALO ALTO, CA — Palo Alto police on Saturday were asking the public's help to find a man who pushed a 16-year-old off her bicycle, stole her cell phone and fled the scene.

Police received a call from the girl around 3:15 p.m. on Friday, who reported that she had been the victim of a strong-arm robbery around 1:30 p.m. in the 00 block of Embarcadero Road, according to the Palo Alto Police Department.

The girl had been riding her bicycle westbound on the north sidewalk of Embarcadero road, approaching the intersection at El Camino Real when an unknown suspect pushed her from behind. He then grabbed her cell phone and fled northbound into the Town & County Shopping Center parking lot.

The victim did not sustain any physical injuries, police said.

Around 3:30 p.m. a passerby found the girl's phone in the road on Galvez Street at Nelson Road on the Stanford campus. Her debit card, which was inside the phone case, was missing and is still outstanding, police said.

The man was described as a white male adult of unknown age, about six feet tall with a medium build. He was last seen wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, black pants and a black surgical mask.

Detectives said there had been no similar robberies reported in Palo Alto recently.

Anyone with information about the incident was urged to call the 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.