Crime & Safety

Recognize This Man? He's Linked to Armed Robberies in Palo Alto, Menlo Park

Police said this week they believe the same man may be responsible for thefts in both cities.

Police are investigating two similar armed robberies in Palo Alto and Menlo Park that may have been committed by the same person.

Police dispatch received a call of an armed robbery in the 200 block of Hamilton Avenue around 1:30 a.m. Monday, according to Palo Alto Police Lt. Zach Perron.

Investigators learned that the victim, a man in his 40s, was walking east on a sidewalk where the suspect approached him and demanded for his cellphone and wallet, Perron said.

The victim turned around and saw the suspect was armed with a black semi-automatic handgun pointed to the ground, he said.

"The suspect had the weapon pointed at the ground, and pulled back the slide on the gun as if to load a round when the victim did not immediately comply with the demand," a news release stated.  "The victim then handed over his cell phone and wallet, and the suspect ordered the victim to walk away eastbound on Hamilton Avenue."

The victim did as he was told, and reported the crime as soon as he had walked away.

Officers searched the area for the suspect without success, he said.

The suspect is described as a light-skinned man who is about 30 years old, around 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed about 175 pounds with a medium build. He was wearing dark sunglasses, a dark-colored beanie, dark long-sleeve shirt and dark pants at the time of the robbery.

Monday's robbery is similar to one in Menlo Park that happened around 6:40 p.m. Sunday, Perron said.

That incident happened on Gilbert Avenue near Pope Street, less than two miles away from Monday's robbery, and the suspect robbed two teens of their cellphones and wallets.

The suspect description was similar to the one in the Palo Alto robbery, according to Perron.  
 
Anyone with information on the Palo Alto incident is asked to call Palo Alto police at (650) 329-2413 or email a tip at paloalto@tipnow.org.  Anyone with information on the Menlo Park robbery is asked to call Menlo Park police at (650) 330-6325.

 
 – Bay City News Service contributed to this report. 
 
 



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