Armed Man Attempts To Rob Santa Rosa Baskin-Robbins: Police

SONOMA COUNTY, CA -- UPDATED: Less than an hour before an armed robbery was reported at a Windsor tanning salon Wednesday, an armed suspect with a similar description reportedly attempted to hold up a Santa Rosa ice cream parlor. The attempted robbery reported at 11:33 a.m. at Baskin-Robbins, 2700 Yulupa Ave. involved a male suspect entering the business located off Bennett Valley and Summerfield roads and ordering an ice cream cone, then demanding money from the cash register while holding a pistol in his hand, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department.

"He reached for the open cash drawer but the store employee closed the register on the suspect’s hand," Santa Rosa police said. "The suspect left the business and disappeared on foot south through the shopping center. He did not get any cash from the robbery and left the ice cream cone behind as well."

Officers searched the area but were not able to find the suspect. The condition of his hand after being shut in the cash drawer was not known, police said.

The suspect was described as a white man in his 30s or 40s who wore a blue shirt and blue shorts, a white hat and sunglasses, and had a green backpack, according to Santa Rosa police.

At 12:21 p.m., the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office reported that an armed robbery had just occurred at Tropical Tan on Brooks Road South in Windsor.

The suspect was described as a white man in his 40s who was wearing sunglasses, a green shirt, jean shorts and was carrying a backpack. He was armed with a handgun and left the scene on foot, sheriff's officials said.

As deputies searched the area for the suspect, nearby Windsor Middle School and Windsor Creek Elementary were briefly placed on lockdown. At 1:24 p.m., officials said the lockdowns had been lifted.

Thursday morning, Santa Rosa police Sgt. Dave Linscomb said the department's violent crimes team was aware Wednesday of the Windsor incident and investigators are looking into the connections between the two crimes.

"The similarities are pretty close," Linscomb told Patch.

Anyone with information about the attempted robbery in Santa Rosa is asked to call 707-543-3590.

Anyone with information about the robbery in Windsor should call 707-565-2650.