Bandits Strike Pastry Shop for the Dough

"Bandits Strike Pastry Shops For The Dough"
 
Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department’s Wilshire Area Robbery Section is seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspects responsible for robbing several commercial doughnut shops. These robberies appear to have been committed by the same group of suspects and have occurred in the Wilshire and Hollywood Areas. Below is a list of related occurrences:

March 21, 2003, Winchell’s Doughnuts, 1700 S. Western Avenue
March 24, 2003, Winchell’s Doughnuts, 716 N. Western Avenue
May 8, 2003, Winchell’s Doughnuts, 3610 W. Venice Boulevard
May 13, 2003, Winchell’s Doughnuts, 3610 W. Venice Boulevard
May 13, 2003, Winchell’s Doughnuts, 1700 S. Western Avenue
May 13, 2003, Winchell’s Doughnuts, 7158 Melrose Avenue
May 14, 2003, Bee’s Doughnuts, 1000 S. La Brea Avenue

All of the robberies involve two to three suspects entering the doughnut shops with handguns, confronting store employees and ordering them to open the cash registers and safes. Before leaving, the suspects order the employees into bathrooms or the refrigerator. All suspects then flee in an unknown direction. The suspects are becoming increasingly violent. In one incident, one of the suspects pointed a handgun at an employee’s head and struck him in the face with his other hand.
Still photos of the suspects’ images are available to the Media via e-mail or at the Media Relations Office located at 150 North Los Angeles Street.
The suspects are described as:

Male, Black, black hair (very short or shaved), brown eyes, 5’9"/ 6’00", 170/190 lbs, 18/25 years old.
Male, Black, black hair (very short or shaved), brown eyes, 5’9"/ 6’00", 150/180 lbs, 18/25 years old, with a possible mustache or goatee.
Male, Black, black hair, brown eyes, 5’8"/ 5’10", 160/170 lbs, 20/25 years old.

The suspects typically wear dark clothing, including dark hooded sweatshirts.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Wilshire Robbery Unit at 213-473-0446. During off-hours and on weekends, please call the Wilshire Division Watch Commander at 213 485-4022 or the 24-hour toll free number at the Detective Information Desk, 1-877-LAWFULL (1-877-529-3855).
This press release was prepared by Public Information Officer Adriana N. Sanchez, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.