WHITTIER — A man brandished a handgun while stealing more than $200 worth of alcohol from a Whittier Rite Aid store Wednesday, police said.
The crime took place about 9:25 a.m. at the store on Comstock Avenue at Hadley Street, Whittier police Sgt. Terry McAllister said.
One man entered the store and began helping himself to bottles of booze, McAllister said. When confronted by an employee, he the robber displayed a handgun tucked into his waistband and told the employee to “get back.”
The robber fled to a late-model white Nissan SUV, which was parked out front with a driver waiting at the wheel, McAllister said.
The gunman was described as a Latino ma in his early-30s, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 180 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes and a mustache, police said. He had a light complexion and glasses.
The driver was a also a Latino man in his early-30s, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, 170 pounds, with a bald head. He wore sunglasses. Both men were described as appearing to be gang members.
A woman was also seen with the men, but walked away from the scene following the robbery, McAllister said. She was a Latina woman in her late-20s or early-30s of about 5 feet tall, 140 pounds and wearing glasses.
The stolen alcohol was valued at $226.