Lone Bandit Gets $650 at Costa Mesa Cleaners
A man claiming to have a gun in a bag robbed a Costa Mesa dry-cleaning establishment of $650 Saturday and ordered the woman clerk who was alone in the shop to accompany him on foot for a block to aid in his getaway.
The man, whom Costa Mesa police described as Caucasian, age 27 to 31, walked into the Fashion Fair Cleaners and Coin Laundry at 570 W. 19th St. dressed in a dark cap, blue Levi jacket and sunglasses. He told the clerk he had a gun and ordered her to hand over all her cash, checks and coins. He then forced her to walk with him for about a block, telling her to keep her eyes focused on the ground. He then fled on foot.
According to Police Sgt. George Yezbick, the woman was “scared out of her mind” by the experience.
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