“Hand over the money” is the most important advice that Ron has given to his employees at the 7-Eleven store located at the intersection of San Gabriel Boulevard and Hellman Avenue, in the city of San Gabriel, knowing the wave of robberies that are being committed against these stores.
The most recent robbery occurred on Wednesday in the city of Duarte, at 1:30 a.m. at the 7-Eleven store in the 1800 block of Huntington Drive.
The suspect, who was wearing a mask and black gloves, remains at large and escaped with $300 in cash, according to authorities.
However, between 9:30 p.m. last Saturday and 4:00 a.m. Sunday, nine robberies occurred in Orange and Los Angeles counties.
Three of the assaults occurred at Long Beach businesses, two in Lakewood and one in Bellflower.
“There have been no arrests in this latest wave of robberies,” said Miguel Meza, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Meza specified that, although there are no security protocols, they provide advice to managers, employees and business owners to minimize the consequences of a robbery.
“We ask them to put up video cameras and illuminate the area around the stores to more easily identify thieves,” he said. “We also ask that you have a minimum amount of cash at the cash registers.”
What is vital, he added, is to never confront the thieves.
“Life is always more important and we don’t want anyone to get hurt,” declared Miguel Meza. “If they ask you for money, give it to them; “Do not try to believe yourself to be brave, but try to be the best witness to help us identify the thieves.”
Waldemar Galindo, a Guatemalan employee at a convenience store in Pasadena, told La Opinión that several times a week he has to close the curtains of the business and he knows when some people who want to pass themselves off as customers arrive with the intention of stealing.
“All these thefts are part of a social problem; There are many people on the streets who do not have work and the State should do something to solve this problem, because thieves know how far they can steal, and get away easily and without any punishment.”
Thefts connected to each other
In Orange County, thefts were reported in Orange, Anaheim and Fullerton.
In each of the incidents, the thieves entered the 7-Eleven stores and stole the cash and fled in a dark-colored SUV.
The first attack by the robbers occurred at 10:00 p.m. at a 7-Eleven on East Street in Anaheim; The second occurred 20 minutes later at a Shell gas station on La Palma Avenue and the third occurred a few minutes later at a Circle K business on Riverdale Avenue.
Minutes before, a robbery was reported on Glassell Street, in Orange, and another one, at the 7-Eleven store on Orangethorpe Avenue, in Fullerton. Three thieves are in police custody.
“We believe that the three robberies on the night of May 19 and the early morning of the 20th are connected to other robberies in other jurisdictions,” declared Sergeant Jonathan McClintock, to La Opinión. “On the afternoon of May 20, 2024, LASD agents became involved in the pursuit of a vehicle believed to be the one they used to commit the robberies.”
McClintock expressed that investigations are continuing and they continue to work with other law enforcement agencies, and requested that any information related to the robberies can be reported anonymously to Anaheim police by calling (714) 765-1900 or report the information to Orange County Crime Stoppers.
They face federal charges
Antonio Bland, 34, of North Hollywood has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with attempted armed robbery at a donut business in Downey.
Bland and two other accomplices who were arrested, Ronnie Tucker, 22, of Long Beach, and Abigail Lucey, 49, also of North Hollywood, were part of a gang of robbers that struck at 11 businesses: a tobacco store in the city of Tustin, in Orange County and nine 7-Eleven stores in North Hollywood, Burbank, Torrance, Van Nuys, Long Beach, Glendale, Pasadena and a donut shop in Downey. The robberies occurred between January 29 and February 14.
Antonio Bland appeared Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, where he was ordered held without bail. The arraignment against him is scheduled for June 10, Ciaran McEvoy, spokesperson for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, told La Opinión.
The probable sentence
Both Bland, Tucker and Lucey would be subject to the Hobbs Act, based on attempted interference with commerce by theft.
According to the United States Sentencing Commission, both attempts and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery are punishable by the same maximum prison sentence of no more than 20 years as for substantial robbery.
“We have seen too many violent gun crimes in our community and this has to stop,” said U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “Our Operation Safe Cities initiative aims to do just that. “Violent criminals should pay attention that federal and local partners are collaborating more than ever to ensure there are consequences for those who engage in gun crimes.”
Krysti Hawkins, acting assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said Bland and his accomplices went on a mission to violently rob employees of small businesses in and around Los Angeles.
They search for the fugitive
In this case, Ronnie Tucker, 22, of Long Beach, is expected to be transferred to federal custody in the coming weeks, while Abigail Luckey, who was the alleged getaway driver in the Feb. 14 robbery at the convenience store of Downey donuts, has not been captured.
Luckey was granted bail in state court, but has not appeared in court since February and is considered a fugitive.
“Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of fugitive Abigail Luckey is asked to contact the FBI,” Krysti Hawkins said.
The crimes committed by the trio of robbers generally occurred late at night and involved two men entering each business wearing hoodies and face masks. In several of the robberies, the getaway driver waited outside for the subjects to complete the robbery.
“Open the cash register!” one of the robbers shouted on Feb. 14 at the donut shop, where an employee noticed they were armed and ran into the kitchen.
The subjects jumped over the counter and chased him, but the employee pulled out his own gun and shot into the air. That movement helped the criminals flee. They were later arrested and police recovered a gun.
“In previous cases we have also sought to apply federal charges to thieves,” Ciaran McEvoy said. “Sometimes it is the county district attorneys themselves who ask us to intervene.”
Assistant United States Attorneys J’me K. Forrest of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Diane Roldán of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.