AZUSA — Good Samaritans captured and held a suspect for police following a knifepoint robbery attempt at a Foothill Boulevard massage parlor earlier this week, authorities said.
Ernesto Delacruz, 26, of Covina, was booked on suspicion robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and battery likely to cause great bodily injury in connection with Monday’s 6:17 p.m. robbery at Royal Massage, in the 500 block of East Foothill Boulevard, Azusa police officials said.
Delacruz entered the massage parlor, posed as a customer and approached a female employee in her 40s, Sgt. Tim Harrington said.
“Delacruz produced a knife and demanded money from the business,” Cpl. Jorge Sandoval said in a written statement. “A short struggle over the knife followed, before Delacruz fled the business.”
The woman chased after Delacruz as he fled, “at which time a neighboring business employee assisted with detaining Delacruz,” Sandoval said. “That neighboring employee sustained moderate facial injuries while attempting to detain Delacruz and was assisted by a second passer-by in doing so until Azusa police officers arrived.”
The employee of the neighboring business, a 28-year-old man, was punched by the suspect as he held the man for police, Harrington said. The other good Samaritan, a 26-year-old man, was not hurt.
A folding knife believed to have been used in the robbery was found at the scene, the sergeant added.
According to county booking records, Delacruz was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.