Neighborhood Market armed robbery suspect still sought

By Peggy Kelly Santa Paula TimesSanta Paula police are still searching for the armed man suspected of at least two robberies at local markets, and are asking the public to help in finding a bandit with an apparent sweet tooth.SPPD Sergeant Ish Cordero said Monday the suspect in the January 21 armed robbery of Neighborhood Market and the January 5 robbery of Central Market has not been identified. Last week the SPPD released a photo of the suspect, who entered Neighborhood Market, 602 N. 12th St., at about 6:39 p.m.The clerk told officers the suspect entered the market, walked to a display, “grabbed two packages of cookies,” walked to the front counter, and “showed the handgun,” Detective Ken Clark said in an interview last week. The suspect demanded money from the top drawer of the register and underneath the drawer, and grabbed the clerk’s cell phone before pointing the gun at the victim and fleeing north on 12th Street.The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, 5’ 7” to 5’ 11”, 160 pounds, with a noticeable scar on his forehead. At the time of the robbery the suspect was wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt, white T-shirt, faded blue jeans, white tennis shoes with black shoelaces, and black knitted gloves.The robber is believed to be the same armed man who entered Central Market, located at 1100 E. Main St., about a block away from Neighborhood Market, on January 5. “It’s the same MO, same description” of the lone gunman, who was armed with a small caliber handgun, similar, said Clark, to a Raven, Sedco or Davis. Video surveillance cameras captured both robberies.