EASTVALE: Woman robbed at gunpoint while putting groceries into vehicle in store parking lot

EASTVALE — A woman making a late-night run to a grocery store was robbed as she was loading groceries into her vehicle, early Saturday morning, Jan. 6. The strong-arm robbery happened in the Ralph’s grocery store parking lot, southeast of the intersection of Limonite and Hamner Avenues, in Eastvale.

SEE RELATED: EASTVALE: Woman, 81, hospitalized after robbed of “large sum of money” in her garage

Saturday’s robbery was reported just one and one half miles east of a home where an 81-year-old woman was robbed of a “large sum of cash” four days later. The elderly victim was confronted and robbed after after driving into the garage of her home, Wednesday, Jan. 10.

Officials have not stated the incidents were related; however the two incidents have Eastvale area residents on edge and both investigations are still active and ongoing.

Saturday’s investigation began about 12:51 a.m., when deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Eastvale Police Station responded to reports of an early-morning, armed robbery at the grocery store, Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Brian Gutierrez explained in a written press release several days after the incident.

When they arrived, deputies found a woman who said she was confronted by a gun-wielding man while she was placing her groceries into her vehicle.

The suspect demanded money from the victim before getting into the passenger’s side of an older, unknown model, blue SUV being driven by a Hispanic male adult.

The SUV with the two suspects then fled the area.

The victim described the man who robbed her as a White male, 18 to 20-years-old, about 5’10” to 6’00” in height, with blonde hair. The suspect also had a tattoo on his left hand, according to Gutierrez.

Surveillance video footage obtained by deputies during their investigation showed the man was wearing a pink, hooded sweatshirt.

The victim described the second suspect as a Hispanic male, about 25 to 30-years-old, with bushy, dark brown hair.

Anyone with information regarding this robbery and investigation is encouraged to immediately contact Deputy Olsen at the Jurupa Valley Station at (951) 955-2600. Callers can refer to incident file number EV18006001 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form or wetip.com.

Anyone wishing to report criminal activity and wanting to remain anonymous can also call crime stoppers at 800-78-CRIME (800-782-7463) or 800-47-DRUGS (800-473-7847).

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.