Local News in Brief : Westminster : 2 Armed Men Steal Car From Body Shop

Police were searching Tuesday for two men who stole a car from an auto body shop after pressing a gun to the shop owner’s throat and demanding keys to the car, Officer Tom Broderson said.

Two men walked into the auto body shop in the 15100 block of Westlake Street about 8:30 p.m. Monday and asked to speak to the owner, police said. When Knuong Pham identified himself as the owner, one of the men drew a handgun and demanded keys to “the white car out front,” Pham told police.

Pham said he handed over the keys to the white 1983 Toyota Celica being repaired for a customer.

“They went up beside me very fast and put the gun in my neck,” Pham said.

The robbers, described as Latinos in their 20s and about 5 feet, 6 inches tall, then forced Pham into the bathroom of his shop and drove off in the car. Moments later, Pham left and called police from a neighboring building.

“They told me not to worry, ‘we want only a car,’ ” Pham said.

Pham suggested that the robbers may have chosen the Celica because it was parked outside the shop and could therefore be driven away without other vehicles having to be moved.

The license plate number of the vehicle is 1FYF223, police said. Anyone who sees the car is asked to call the Westminster Police Department at (714) 898-3311.