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Fake UPS Robber Locks Himself Out In Botched El Segundo Hold-Up

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A would-be robber dressed as a UPS delivery man is at large on Wednesday after being caught on camera in a botched holdup at a El Segundo warehouse.

KNX 1070's Vytas Safronikas reports now police are asking the public to help them catch the suspect.

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The crime occurred about 4:50 p.m. on Aug. 25 at a cell phone distribution center at an undisclosed address, El Segundo police Lt. Raymond Garcia said. Police did not want to give the address out of fear it could be targeted again.

The suspect walked in clothed in jeans and a UPS shirt, handed a package to an employee, then pulled out a gun, Garcia said.

"At that time, our victim heard him leave the area, got up and ran to an adjacent office space and locked himself in," said Garcia. "However, our suspect thought he ran out the front door, so when he ran out the front door, the door locked behind him."

Surveillance video showed the suspect as Hispanic, mid-20s, and about 5 feet 4 inches and 165 pounds. He wore a white sleeve on his right arm, possibly to conceal tattoos, police said.

He fled in a gold colored four-door and was believed to be communicating with accomplices in a U-Haul van, police said. The big-bore pistol was a silver-colored semiautomatic with a matte finish, police said.

Anyone with more information as to the name of whereabouts of the crooks was urged to call Detective Jeff Humphrey at (310) 524-2284.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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