This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Crime & Safety

Gunman Robs Man in Palo Alto Saturday

The suspect pointed the gun at the victim's stomach.

 

Editor Update: Police have released a sketch of the suspect.

Original Story:

Find out what's happening in Palo Altowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Palo Alto Police report than a gunman robbed a man who had just parked his car at an apartment complex Saturday morning. There were no injuries and the suspect is still on the loose.

A 9-1-1 call was made to police at 8:48 a.m. The robbery happened in the 1000 block of Tanland Drive. Officers arrived within one minute of being dispatched, but the suspect got away.

Find out what's happening in Palo Altowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The victim is a man in his 40s. Palo Alto Police Lt. Zach Perron describes what happened, “He (the victim) noticed a man later identified as the suspect pacing back and forth within the carport. The victim thought this was odd. The victim got out and started walking through the carport, at which point the suspect suddenly emerged from behind a wall, pulled a black semi-automatic pistol from his waistband, and pointed it at the victim’s stomach.

“The suspect ordered the victim to return to his vehicle and get in. The victim complied. The suspect, who remained outside the vehicle, ordered the victim to give him his wallet. The victim complied. The suspect told the victim to stay in his car, and then ran away.

“The victim got out of his car after the suspect left, and last saw the suspect running southbound through Greer Park near the basketball courts.”

A police sketch of the suspect is not available at this time. He is described as a black male in his late twenties or early thirties, about 5 feet 8 inches tall with a thin build. The suspect was wearing a gray track suit with the hood up over his head.

The description is similar to the suspect in an armed robbery that happened on Jan. 22. Detectives are actively working the two cases.

If you have information about this robbery, call the 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.

The Police Department offers these 3 Basic Rules for Safety:

  • DO stay alert. Keep your mind on your surroundings, who is in front of you and who is behind you. Don't get distracted. If you're worried about crime, ask a friend to accompany you when you go out.
  • DO communicate the message that you're calm, confident, and know where you are going. Stand tall, walk purposefully, and make quick eye contact with people around you.
  • DO trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable in a place or situation, leave.

More personal safety tips are on the police department’s website.

 

Also on Palo Alto Patch

Gun Buyback Program to Include Palo Alto

New Law Could Require Gun Owners to Have Liability Insurance

Catch and Release – for Sex Crimes?

Man Tries to Kidnap 11-year-old Girl in Palo Alto

Yacht Stealing Kidnapper Gets Bad News in Court

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.