El Cerrito Check-Cashing Store Robbed at Gunpoint

Police are trying to locate two suspects who robbed a check-cashing store at gunpoint in El Cerrito on Wednesday morning. The robbery happened around 10:55 a.m. Wednesday at the Advance America check-cashing store at 10003 San Pablo Ave., according to police.

Police said an employee buzzed the first suspect into the business and the man then held the door open for a second suspect and remained at the entrance, acting as a lookout. The second man jumped over the store counter and pulled out a pistol, holding the lone store employee at gunpoint and demanding cash, police said.

The worker handed over some money and the suspects fled the store. The employee was uninjured during the robbery and no customers were inside the store at the time. Police arrived in the area after the store’s silent alarm was triggered but the suspects had already fled the area in a car.

The suspect holding the gun during the robbery is described as a black man believed to be in his 30s who is about 5 feet 8 inches tall. He was wearing a black or gray mask covering most of his face, as well as black gloves, a black hooded sweatshirt and jeans, police said.

The suspect who acted as the lookout is described as a slender black man in his late 20s to 30s who is about 6 feet 1 inch tall. He was wearing a dark-colored windbreaker, red or orange pants and an Oakland Raiders hat, according to police. Police said the suspects’ car is described as a late-model red Jeep Cherokee with yellow paper plates. The car, which was captured by a security camera at a neighboring business during the robbery, was last seen on Carlson Boulevard near Fairmount Street, police said.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call El Cerrito police at (510) 237-3233. Anonymous tips may be left at (510) 215-4414, ext. 40.

—By Bay City News

Photo via Shutterstock.