Suspect Sought In OC Home Depot, Radio Shack Robberies

SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect wanted in connection with robberies at two Orange County stores.

At 9:40 a.m. on April 15, the suspect reportedly approached a victim manning the cash register in the gardening section of a Santa Ana Home Depot store.

The victim handed him approximately $500 in cash after the suspect "brandished what appeared to be a gun and demanded the victim surrender the money," Santa Ana police said in a statement.

The suspect then walked with the man to the exit of the store, apologized and said his wife was sick, according to police. He fled from the store on foot.

Police believe the same suspect entered a Radio Shack store at 3670 W. McFadden Ave. on May 1 at 10:41 a.m. He approached the clerk, exposed a dark handle resembling a gun, demanded money and said, "I have a gun and don't want to use it," according to police.

After the clerk handed him money, the suspect ordered him to the ground. The victim then ran out of the front entrance as the suspect followed and fled in a different direction.

The suspect was described as white man, 45 to 50 years old, six feet tall with a medium build and short gray hair. He was last seen wearing a green baseball hat with a small dark logo on the front, dark colored hooded jacket, blue jeans and brown hiking-type tennis shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Santa Ana Police Department.