Watch CBS News

2 OC Restaurants Hit By Armed Robbers Overnight

FOUNTAIN VALLEY (CBSLA.com) – Police are investigating whether the same two suspects robbed a Carl's Jr. in Laguna Hills and a Winchell's Donuts in Fountain Valley at gunpoint overnight Wednesday.

The robberies occurred about two hours apart. In both cases, only one of the suspects was carrying a handgun and the employees were locked in the back of the restaurant.

2 OC Restaurants Hit By Armed Robbers Overnight
Two suspects rob a Winchell's Donuts store in Fountain Valley, Calif. Aug. 31, 2017. (OnScene TV)

At about 11 p.m. Wednesday, two men held up a Carl's Jr. in the 24000 block of Alishi Parkway. The suspects fled after stealing cash and personal items, including purses, wallets and cell phones, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

At one point during the robbery, several employees were locked in a walk-in freezer. However, it wasn't immediately clear if the employees were forced into the freezer or if they locked themselves in for safety, the sheriff's department said.

At around 1 a.m., two men robbed a Winchell's Donuts in the 17000 block of Magnolia Street. The suspects made several threats to an employee, Fountain Valley police said. Security video showed them forcing him to the floor while they raided the cash register. The suspects then locked the employee in a bathroom and shoved a refrigerator against the door. They then fled in an unknown direction. The employee managed to escape and call 911.

There were no injuries in either robbery.

The suspects in the Carl's Jr. robbery were described as tall, thin males wearing dark clothing, OCSD said. The suspects in the Winchell's Donuts robbery were described as black men in their 20s wearing dark clothing and hoodies.

Anyone with information on either robbery should call Fountain Valley police or the sheriff's department.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.