Convenience Store Bandit Sought in Three Costa Mesa Armed Robberies

Costa Mesa police on Wednesday were searching for an armed robbery suspect believed responsible for holdups of three small convenience stores in four days in a three-mile area, authorities said.

At 10:55 a.m. Wednesday, police said, employees at the Orowheat Baking Co. outlet in the 800 block of West Baker Street were robbed at gunpoint of $160 by a man in his late 20s or early 30s.

Sgt. Richard Bell said the suspect, described as having brown hair and wearing blue jeans, got into line with food as if he were a customer, then pulled a pistol on the cashier and demanded money. Employees told police that the man fled on foot.

On Monday afternoon, a man of similar description posed as a customer and held up the Natural Food Basket store in the 2700 block of Harbor Boulevard at about 2:45 p.m. Bell said the suspect escaped with an undetermined amount of cash.

At 7:31 a.m. Sunday, a 7-Eleven store in the 600 block of Paularino Avenue was robbed of an unknown amount of money by a gun-wielding man who first posed as a customer, Bell said.