Public's Help Sought In Identifying 'Count-3 Bandit'

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Police Thursday asked for the public's help in identifying the "Count-3 Bandit" wanted for robbing businesses in the San Fernando Valley and beyond.

The suspect has been tied to hold-ups from Calabasas to Santa Clarita, including the robbery of a Good Night Inn in Sylmar on Sept. 15 and a Sept. 19 heist at a Shell gas station in Sun Valley.

"We dubbed him the Count-3 Bandit because in our two cases, he's told the clerks to, 'Get down and count to three,' as he makes his escape," Lt. Paul Vernon said.

Surveillance videos show the bandit walking into each business with a gun in hand and his face obscured by a hoodie and bandana.

"He is assertive, pointing the gun and demanding the money from the till," Lt. Vernon said. "Similar descriptions and videos from businesses in Santa Clarita, West Valley, Devonshire, and Calabasas make us think this guy is responsible for many more robberies."

The "Count-3 Bandit" is described as a Black man between 25 and 50 years old. He is over 6 feet tall with a thin-to-medium build and has a dark complexion, according to authorities.

Anyone with information on these crimes should contact Det. Luz Montero, Mission Robbery Unit, at (213)838-9896.