EL MONTE >> Police are asking the public’s help in identifying a tattoo-faced man and woman who took customers hostage during an armed robbery at an El Monte convenience store over the weekend.
The crime unfolded just after midnight on Sunday at Circle K, 5202 Peck Road, El Monte police Sgt. Richard Luna said.
“Both (robbers) came in armed,” he said.
The male gunman demanded money from the clerk as his female accomplice pointed her handgun at two customers who tried to leave and forced them to stay in the store during the robbery, the sergeant said.
After obtaining cash from the employee, the suspect fled from the store and were last seen running south toward Hemlock Street, police said.
Police described one of the robbers as a Latino man of about 35 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 140 pounds, with a mustache, a “soul patch” goatee and a eagle tattoo on the right side of his face. He wore a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants and gray tennis shoes, and carried a black-and-gray semi-automatic handgun.
The second robber was a Latina woman of about 17 or 18 years old, 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 4 inches tall, 110 to 120 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes. She wore a hooded sweater and gray pants and she carried a chrome semi-automatic handgun.
Anyone with information is asked to contact El Monte police at 626-580-2114, or via email at tips@empd.org. Tips may also be submitted anonymously online to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
“Both suspects are considered armed and dangerous,” Luna added.

PHOTO/VIDEO courtesy of the El Monte Police Department